Passions: the myth of discovery

We all have heard the phrase “I was just at the right place at the right time.” Usually uttered by some dewy eyed starlet in telling the story of her “overnight” success.
Riiight, Pull the other one. Sure world class ice skaters are discovered in the park skating with little brother. First time novelists do not have a drawerful of rejected or aborted manuscripts. The best pitchers just happen to be on the mound the day there is a scout in the bleachers.
No one was ever at just the right place at the right time by chance.
There is homework involved in figuring out those two factors.
You don’t go to the hardware store to find a sexy nighty.
Knowing your passion is only the first step. Where and how you get to express it is another. Even the most avid Greenpeace member still pays annual dues.
Put yourself in association with the people you want to be a part of.
Even though hanging out near the popular crowd did not work in high school it can work in real life.
One of the coolest things about the internet is that there are all sorts of ways to hang out near the popular kids.
Joining groups, creating web pages, you tube, face book, my space, blogs, forums can all be tools to get you to the right place at the right time.
But you still need to know where and when.
Do the research.
If you are looking for a job find out; who is hiring? What positions? What industries are growing? What skills do you need? Is there someone who can teach you? Are there people of similar interest in your area so you can meet face to face?
If you are looking for someone to go jogging with or builds model rc aircraft, or has a book club in your area, you can use the same tools.
Are you looking for a personal relationship? The same research standard applies.
Little passions like reading mystery novels, making quilts or developing the perfect pot luck dish are as valid as the big life passions I spoke of earlier. They may not be the things that become the road map and definition of your life, but they are some of the opportunities for interactions that keeps us in the area near the cool kids. That way we can be in the right place at the right time when we figure out our passion.