As I interviewed thousands of people over a 20 year period at the Executive Recruiting Firm I owned in Phoenix AZ, I discovered that the majority of people are NOT living their passion. Instead they are showing up for a "job," collecting a pay check, counting the days until the weekend or counting the months until their next one week vacation. Let me share a couple examples of a few clients that learned how to design a lifestyle and a career so they could "have it all" and start living THEIR Passion.

Consider Mary:

She just turned 40 has three children ages 3, 8 and 12 and works part time out of her home as an executive recruiter earning approximately 30K a year. Mary wanted and needed to take her business and her income to another level but wondered if she had to get an office to do so or hire an assistant. That was not necessarily what she wanted to do. Her real passion was teaching, communicating and helping others.

Mary had her "Aha" moment during our first consultation when she realized that she had the knowledge and tools to share with other Moms who wanted to stay at home, work part time, while contributing to the family finances.

She started designing an internet based company to sell the "how to" formula that has worked for her for the past 13 years. This was using her creativity, her natural ability to organize, and her teaching skills. She discovered she did not need to go out of her home to make money. She called her new business www.youcanstayathomeandmakemoney.com

I think it is important to brainstorm with others until you find your "aha" moment about how you can start living your passion. You owe it to yourself to find out what is right for YOU to do with the rest of your life. To discover your passion and purpose.

Another client Ted (38)?? had been building an insurance agency for the past 15 years. When his wife asked for a divorce his world changed. He started asking himself "what do I want to do now, I never did love the insurance business." However Ted also had what I consider the golden handcuffs ?.How do you walk away from something that affords you a great lifestyle like Ted had?

You Don't!

You keep that business going and growing as it always has even if you have to hire some part time or temporary employees to get you through the transition, but then start looking at what YOU really want to do?

Ted worked through the process of getting to know what HE really wanted in life. What he realized was he needed to be outdoors, and work in the soil, of course his insurance sales position never allowed him to do that. He started one little step at a time just by adding outdoor activities to his every day life while his cash cow continued to work for him.

Giving himself permission to be outdoors and working in the earth, Ted is now developing a part time landscaping company that he works in on the weekends.

I am sure the end of this story for Ted we will find him happier and more fulfilled than he has ever been in life because he found what makes him happy at the core of his being.

The days of working in a career for 50 years (as my Dad did) receiving a gold watch and retiring until it is time to die are gone forever.

One question I get asked all the time is:

How does a person know if they are on the right track with their career and if they are possibly living their passion?

Allow me to ask you 4 simple questions to know if you are on the right path.

1. When you tell others what you do for a living are you proud of what you do?

2. When you are at work does time fly by until it is time to go home?

3. Do you feel creative and productive when you are at work?

4. Do you generally look forward to going to work each day?

These are just 4 out of hundreds of questions to ask yourself so you can begin living your passion. One of the keys to future success with anyone's career is finding out what you really want and who you really are. It all begins with simple questions and answers about You, Your needs, your desires.

ARE YOU LIVING YOUR PASSION?