Being free, fulfilled, and living the life you’ve always dreamed of living is fantastic.
But how many are truly willing to take the steps to achieve it?
Are you?
Living a life full of passion takes work, but it doesn’t feel like work when you’re doing it correctly.
I knew at the age of 16 that I didn’t want to live an “ordinary” life. That’s when I began learning how to live the life of my dreams.
But I didn’t know how to even get started. I had no clue as to how to follow my passion, or how to find my purpose in life.
Today, I do.
And as you keep reading, you’ll discover what I’ve found to work after over a decade of experimentation.
What Do You Really Want?
Money is essential to freedom in the world we live in. This realization can be both good and bad, but for most people it’s a mud trap that gets them sticky and stuck.
If you make money your priority, you abandon your heart, and your passion. Plus, you risk falling for get-rich-quick schemes, and other marketing tricks.
I went through the phase of wanting to have a blue BMW and sitting on a pearly white Caribbean beach working on my laptop. Luckily, I realized that this wasn’t what I really wanted, or needed.
When you figure out what you truly desire, you start to see what your purpose really is. Money can come in second or even third place, but you have to put your heart first.
Do you want to write, make videos, knit, create clothes, conjure up raw food recipes that people love, or help them live a minimalist life? It’s up to you.
You can look to others for advice, but in the end you will have to make your own choices.
Where will you start your journey?
How will you move forward?
It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it probably never will be, but in the end you will have to make a decision. What most people don’t realize is that not making a decision is still making a decision.
But how do you make the right decisions? I dive into what I’ve discovered to work in the short video below.
Heart Vs. Head: Which One to Listen to?
How do you know what you really want? You could consult your mind, but you will get a better answer from that red, beating thing in the middle of your chest.
Your heart knows things you have no idea were even possible. It is your guide, and it will take you where you need to go, if you listen to it.
When you listen to your heart, don’t expect miracles, expect whispers and subtle hints.
It’s all too easy to look for others to guide you through life. I’ve been there and done that, and while it certainly is helpful if you’re completely new, at some point you have to take your heart into the equation, and start following your path.
Listening is as simple as putting your attention in your heart. If you haven’t done this, you may want to take a 15-20 minute time-out, close your eyes, and sit quietly feeling your heart.
Accept whatever comes up. You may feel a host of feelings that have been lingering in your body and heart. Acknowledge them, learn from them, and let them be.
If you don’t know how to deal with the emotions that come up, below is a video of how I do it.
The Art of Embracing Life
You were born to do what you love, to experience life to the fullest, in whatever way makes you come alive.
You can do work you love, and make a living at it, as long as you bring value to people’s lives.
There are no crystal balls. No one can guarantee your success. Your journey probably won’t end up looking anything that you thought it would be.
The universe works in mysterious ways, never forget that.
If you’re a blogger and you aren’t seeing results; it may mean that you’re doing something wrong, or it may mean that you aren’t really doing what you were born to do.
Life is a journey, and parts of that journey may mean going through nasty storms that throw up a heap of confusion, but that doesn’t mean you are the storm, and it definitely doesn’t mean that the storm won’t pass.
A common way of trying to get out of the storm is to start running in all directions instead of keeping a steady course. You expend a lot of energy, but you end up where you started.
Here’s a video of mine where I share how I get through these storms.
You will know when you are sharing your gift because not only does it feel extremely good, but people begin telling you that it is helping them.
When I started this blog back in 2009, I wasn’t receiving any praise, but within a few months of writing from the heart, I started getting the odd email here and there from people telling me that my writing inspired them.
This is what you want to look for. It may come in different forms, but the feeling is unmistakable.
Creating And Delivering Value
The best way to make a living doing what you love is to create and deliver value.
That simply means solving a problem for people. It could mean inspiring someone with your story, or helping them overcome a problem. Don’t think big. Think small. Think tiny.
When I began in 2009, I didn’t know how I was going to be valuable. All I knew was that I was inspired to write and share my story. And it turned out that my story was valuable to people.
So you may not feel like you have anything to offer, but you do. You have a story to tell. We are all walking stories, and people want to hear your perspective.
You’ve overcome hardships in your life. Share them. Yes, it’s going to be scary, but the fear is there to show you that you’re heading in the right direction. It’s okay to quiver a bit.
Tapping into Abundance
How much money do you really need to support your rent and food habit? It is often less than you think. Kill your TV, get rid of your car, sell your crap, and get serious about what is really essential in your life.
Here’s a hint: it isn’t the stuff.
When you realize that you don’t need $5,000/month to survive, you realize that creating an online business that sustains you is a lot easier than you think.
I personally don’t have to worry about making huge piles of money because I live a very simple life. I’ve lived in Spain for 11 months.
[Update: I’ve now lived in Scandinavia since 2011 and I love being back. I also became a father. First son born in 2011. Second son in 2015. It’s been an interesting ride, but more on that later.]
So another important step to freedom is to look at your beliefs around money. In the below video I talk about the fear of running out of money, and how it may be running your life.
An Accurate View of Reality
If you want to be free, fulfilled, and do what you love, you have to be realistic, and you have to have courage.
You have to have an accurate view of reality to make this work, and the way you reach a point where you start tasting success, tasting freedom, and being fulfilled is by learning from the people who have already done it, taking action and learning from your mistakes.
If you’re serious about living the life of your dreams, start paying attention to your heart, and what you’re passionate about.
You don’t have to be clear about your passion, you just have to start doing what interests you, and that will then lead you to the next thing, and the next, until you wake up and feel energy dancing in your whole body.
Read These Articles Next
- The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Passion
- How to Do What You Love
- Live Your Truth: 7 Powerful Lessons
Image by Nicolas
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Hi Henri,
This is a very inspiring call to action.
People tend to think that discovering their passion – then living it out – will make everything in life perfect. True, you’ll be closer to achieving happiness and fulfillment, but there will be other factors which appear that don’t appeal to you. A different life will have different pressures, issues, and challenges to face. Of course, you’re more likely to stick through the tough times when the overall direction is what you want.
Taking that very first step on the road to freedom is the hardest… many don’t ever get that far. If we spend the time to think through some of the points you mention above, we can better prepare ourself for both the ups and downs of our dream life right from the start.
Couldn’t agree more with you, Scott. It’s not all effortless floating on clouds once you find your passion. Hard work it is, but a lot of fun, too.
Hi Henri,
I believe this is my first comment on your blog but I have spent much time here recently reading and absorbing. You truly have a gift that you are sharing with others, thank you! I find it amazing that you have such depth and understanding at your age.
I found this so true… “Sometimes one of those factors is just that I’m being open and authentic about my own journey…”, you are speaking from your heart and that forms a deeper level of communication with others.
I left the corporate world about 12 years ago to live my life passionately and follow dreams. It’s an ongoing process that constantly requires adjusting and fine-turning but the freedom is wonderful. Your blog has inspired me to step out of a stagnant period and move forward again. Thank you.
Peace & Blessings,
Tania
Thanks for the kind words, Tania 🙂
I like your attitude, and it sounds like you’re rocking. Thanks for finally commenting and sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it.
Have a fantastic day!
Committing to start a new business or to live a life full of passion really is hard work, whether it’s getting your self to do it in the first place, or doing the one last thing you need to make it all work. I encounter this challenge every now and then, and it’s usually that last step that is missing and that takes time and “emotional re-evaluation” to put it in place. It’s hard and it happens because we are at a place where everything could change for us very quickly. That is why people who have been through it always say it takes courage and being ready to take a risk.
It’s interesting that you said how people’s paths change through time because I often talk about this, too. It’s natural that we doscover new things we want to learn about and master, it’s normal that we are more passionate about different subjets at different “stages” of our lives. We are always interested in more then one thing at the time, so it would be mad to think we have to hold on to one thing from our twenties to the rest of our lives. But what’s really the problem, I think, is that people still haven’t made the distinction between doing something for a living, making money and doing what they love.
Yup. Your interests will change, but we have to realize that sometimes we have to stick with something and make it work before we move on. It’s not always a dance on roses, or a walk in the park.
Sometimes it takes discipline, but once you’ve gotten going, you can have projects, or websites in my case about many different interests, which is kick-ass!
I love writing and sharing the information that has helped me with others. One thing that I have noticed in since I made the decision and followed my purpose (taking action) is that the doors begin to open up. Many opportunities show up, resources and money arrives…one thing that I have noticed is when you start listening to your heart the “shiny things” start showing up- such as an office job that pays well.
The road to freedom isn’t easy. Most things we want in life, require hard work, prioritizing, and perseverance.
Hah, that’s funny. Yeah, I’ve noticed that as well. Both resources and temptations come your way, almost mocking you and asking “are you sure about this? don’t you want the comfortable desk job that you really will end up hating in 6 months?”
It also comes in phases for me. The resources that came to me 6 months ago are very different from the ones that appear to me know. It’s the standard hockey stick effect. When you’re really ready to commit, stuff will happen.
Thanks, Kim!
The art of being you…I love it.
Some people forget that movement does not always mean progression. It’s conscious, meditated movement that does the trick.
Very inspirational post, Henri.
Yes!
Great article that popped up in my e-mail 🙂 Thanks for being so real and true to yourself and others. Following our hearts is key, but it also takes work and consistent action to create that masterpiece we always dreamed of. And, like you said, you never really know how it’s going to turn out in the end. Wonderful post Henri!
And sometimes we realize that it doesn’t even have to be a masterpiece, because it will be what it will be, and we will love it.
I like your style, Jennifer. I hope you’re doing well 🙂
This post could not have come at a better time for me. I spent years working in retail management and lost my passion for it long ago. Thanks to the many fine writers blogging about minimalism, finding your passion and how to use the internet to start your own business, my wife and I have been simplifying our lives. I recently quit my retail management job and have just started a blog of my own.
Being so new at this, the doubts and fears sometime take hold of me. I have some standing offers for retail management positions and when I dwell on the doubts I am sometimes tempted to take the safe way out and take one of the offers. Nut when I listen to my heart, i know i am doing the right thing. Thank you!
The doubts and fears take hold of us all from time to time, so no worries there. I’m glad you’re listening to your heart. You’re at the beginning of an awesome adventure, so buckle your seat belt and prepare for a fun ride.
Thanks for commenting, Rich!
Hey Henri!
Thanks again for another awesome and inspiring article!
Really connect with what you write about.
Thanks man!
Richard
Thank you, Richard!
Henri,
This is so much helpful wisdom in this post! I loved the section on how to listen to your heart. So few people have the courage or give themselves the time to actually sit and focus on their heart for 15 minutes and simply listen. Thanks for this really clear step by step approach. I also really like your call to have an accurate view of reality. Mostly, I love this because it feels very genuine!
Thanks, Sandra!
Busyness has taken over our lives. It feels like so much time to give up, even when you’re only thinking about 15 minutes to listen to what’s going on inside.
I know, because I sometimes feel like that. Oh well 😉
True wealth is when you find what you are meant to do, and then make it happen. The rest is just “stuff” that we hang on to in the meantime. Sounds like you’re well on your way. Enjoy 🙂
Right on, Claire! 😉
Hi Henri,
I think everybody will agree that you should follow your heart first and then the money will follow.
You statement: “When you listen to your heart, don’t expect miracles, expect whispers and subtle hints.” is really good and accurate.
Many people hope and expect this epiphany type of revelation when they finally take time out to think about what they want to do with their life. If you’ve spent a lifetime surpressing your inner voice it will be quite weak, at least to start with and my advice is to be patient with yourself. Your inner voice that speaks from the heart will increasingly get louder – just give it some space.
As you say ” have the courage to be true to yourself” and I would add “have the patience to be true to yourself.”
Jan
Yeah, I was the epiphany-expectator a few years ago, but I’ve since then realized the power of whispers.
Keep rocking, Jan!
What is my heart trying to tell me? That I am almost ready to take the plunge into the world of location independance and online income. Although my head keeps getting in the way with endless what ifs. I need to conquer some of the issues (like being in debt) before I can really break free. But in the process of minimalising and learning online strategies I am growing ever confident by the day. Hope to bump into you soon possibly trapseing across europe. Thanks for the post Henri
Cheers
The what ifs will always be there. I have no doubt that if you go down the minimalism route that you will have no trouble getting rid of your debt once and for all.
Good luck, Justin!
Quotable: “How do you know what you really want? You could consult with your mind, but I think you will get a better answer from that red, beating thing in the middle of your chest.” (i got a laugh).
– wow man you’ve come pretty far for a pretty young guy! I think about myself 10 years ago, and yeah, I was a mess, but i was determined to get my ass out of it. Can’t imagine if i had been born just 10 years later, what a different life.
I think if you can give one person a smile who reads your blog post, you can consider that a pretty damn good success 🙂
I agree! What if we all could make just one person smile. Wouldn’t that make the world become much better? I certainly think so, but with the power of the internet, we can make even more people smile, and even laugh 😉
Thanks for using the force for good, Satya!
I’m actually a bit younger than most of your readers, and I’m currently in college…but about to leave school for good to pursue entrepreneurship! I’m somewhat terrified, but mostly really, really excited about what’s to come. I especially love what you say about “You still have to use common sense and realize that you can end up broke while doing something you love.” Because until now, I was content to drift along on my passions without delving into the business, practical end of things.
Thank you for the encouraging post!
You really hit home with this. I have no idea what I want, or how to get there. Not even a vague idea, but I let time help me. Meantime I work on letting my intuition and heart speak, and never to rush into something ( it never seems to work out for me). Maybe I want to travel around the world. Maybe I don’t. Maybe I want to be a blogger, maybe I don’t. Time will tell.
Hi Henri,
It’s really great to see that there’s another young entrepreneur taking entrepreneurship by the horns! I always get told that I’m so young (just turned 21 today!), and sometimes I used to worry that maybe I started too early to really get anything going – that no one would take me seriously because of my age (I started my business at around 18).
Now that I look back at my previous worries, I feel foolish because, the truth is, I wouldn’t be here writing this and doing what I’m doing (and truly love!) if I hadn’t of took the leap those many years ago. Despite my worries that I wouldn’t make a difference, I am now. I’ve met so many awesome people along this journey and helped so many writers get on their feet by simply sharing my views, providing my feedback, and following my passion.
There is nothing like the feeling of knowing that you’re making a difference in someone else’s life – that you’re helping someone else to flourish and grow as a writer. And every time I get one of those emails thanking me for my time or an email from a writer so alive with excitement, telling me that my advice had actually helped the person get accepted somewhere, I can’t help but feel so amazingly good about myself. Because this is ultimately what I’ve always wanted to do – this is my calling – to help other writers like myself create an amazing business with their skills and strengths. It’s truly a wonderful feeling, and I wouldn’t ask to be anywhere else than where I am at this very moment.
As for following your passion, I’m a great advocate of writing things down. I find that, by writing down your interests, what motivates you, your deep desires and dreams, and simply putting everything down on paper to look over again and again really helps me to stay organized. It also gives me something to look back to in the future when I feel like giving up or if I had an especially hard day because it reminds me why I started this venture in the first place.
So whenever you’re stuck and can’t figure out what you really want to do with your life, I seriously recommend writing things down. Sometimes it’s just good to see your thoughts visually, and it can really clear a cluttered head when you need to.
Good read!
Christina
Being young has its advantages, but I do have to admit that I had the same worries as you, which kept me from getting started earlier. Everything happens when it’s supposed to happen, so I’m cool with that.
Writing things down gets things out of the chaos that is your mind, so I’d have to agree on that.
I’ve seen your stuff, Christina. You are making a difference, so keep rocking!
And thanks for reading. I do appreciate it.