For many years I felt like I was searching for something that I had lost. That's the best way I can think to describe it. I had been working in a field for 17 years and was invested in it. I had gone to school for it. I had credentials for it. I was good at it. So why wasn't I HAPPY? It wasn't my passion.

I think many of us have this issue. Everyone wants to find their PASSION; we are told to "lean in"... the problem is, what if don't know how to find it. What if we don't know which way to lean?

Now that I have found MY passion by starting this website and helping others....I read an article recently that I really thought could help people find their passion. Warren Berger, author of A MORE BEAUTIFUL QUESTION, collected the provocative questions top designers, tech innovators, and entrepreneurs ask themselves to spark creativity. I found some of the questions really inspiring...

Whether you’re starting out or considering a possible change in direction, asking yourself the right questions is critical. I picked out the following five from Warren Berger's article...maybe they can help you figure out where your heart lies and what you really ought to be doing.

What Is Your Tennis Ball? This question, derived from a terrific commencement speech given at MIT by Dropbox founder Drew Houston, is a good place to start because it cuts to the chase. As Houston explained, “The most successful people are obsessed with solving an important problem, something that matters to them. They remind me of a dog chasing a tennis ball.” To increase your chances of happiness and success, Houston said, you must “find your tennis ball--the thing that pulls you.”

“You almost have to ask yourself, What do I find myself doing?,” explains the author and happiness guru Gretchen Rubin. “What you spend time doing can also tell you what you should do. Because sometimes the things we do without thinking really are things we naturally enjoy or are good at.”

So pay attention to what pulls you. For instance, “when you’re in a bookstore,” says author Carol Adrienne, “what section of the store are you drawn to?” That will not only tell you what books you love--it may point to where your tennis ball can be found.

What Are Your Superpowers? The idea behind this question is to “unpack the combination of personality traits and aptitudes you bring effortlessly to any situation.” What are you good at? If we can identify our inherent character strengths and build on them, we can lead happier, more successful lives. Once you’ve identified your own strengths, you’ll be in a better position to make the most of what you already have going for you.

What Did You Enjoy Doing At Age 10? Sometimes by looking back into the past you can get a glimpse of who you really are and what you loved doing before others started telling you what you should do. A psychotherapist and author, agrees, adding: “The things we loved as a child are probably still the things we love.” He suggests drawing up a list of favorite activities and interests from childhood--“and see what still resonates with you today. And then it’s a process of updating those loves. You may have loved something that doesn’t even exist now, or doesn’t make sense in your life now--but you may be able to find a new version of that.”

Looking Back, 20 or 30 Years From Now, What Do You Want To Say You Accomplished? Think of this exercise as a less-gloomy version of write-your-own-obituary. What would you include on your list of hoped-for achievements? "Never give up on something you really want. It's difficult to try, but worse to regret."

What Is Your Sentence? In the end, simplicity is best. This is a question designed to help you distill purpose and passion to its essence by formulating a single sentence that sums up who you are and what, above all, you aim to achieve. This simple question can be traced back to the journalist and pioneering Congresswoman Clare Booth Luce. While visiting John F. Kennedy early in his presidency, Luce expressed concern that Kennedy might be in danger of trying to do too much, thereby losing focus. She told him “a great man is a sentence”--meaning that a leader with a clear and strong purpose could be summed up in a single line.

This concept can be useful to anyone, not just presidents. Your sentence might be, “She raised four kids who became happy, healthy adults,” or “She invented a device that made people’s lives easier.” If your sentence is a goal not yet achieved, then you also must ask: How might I begin to live up to my own sentence?

I hope these questions spark some creative thinking! Are you REALLY HAPPY or do you feel like you're still searching for something. Are you doing what you truly WANT to be doing...or what you SHOULD be doing? Did you stumble into your career or did you CHOOSE it? Maybe it's time for a change. At least start giving it some of your attention, some practice, it may turn into more...

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU COULDN'T FAIL? You deserve to be HAPPY!! :)

For the full article by Warren Berger: visit www.fastcodesign.com