Henri Junttila - Find Your Passion: 25 Questions You Must Ask Yourself

Copyright 2013 by Henri Junttila

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without prior written permission from the author. Reviewers are allowed to quote brief passages in reviews.

Please note that this book is for entertainment purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author alone, and should not be taken as expert instruction or commands. The reader is responsible for his or her own actions.

Lets face it.

Finding and following your passion is tough.

Youve probably read advice that tells you to just follow your passion, but you know that it isnt that easy. This is a scary, overwhelming and confusing journey.

Its hard to know when, where, and how to start.

And even if you manage to get started, your inner demons pop up. Suddenly youre paralyzed by fear and all you want to do is hide under the bed covers. The good news is that this is normal. Just because youre confused, uncertain and afraid, doesnt mean you have to stop.

In fact, it means that youre on the right path. It means that youre pushing your boundaries and doing something new. The bottom line is that you can live a passionate life. Deep down you already know that. Otherwise you wouldnt be reading this.

You dont have to quit your job.

You dont have to make radical changes in your life.

You just have to take one tiny step at a time.

You see, I believe you already have everything you need inside of you. You are good enough the way you are. Youve simply learned ideas that keep you from living up to your full potential.

This book will not only help you find your passion, but also help you uncover the limitations youve created for yourself. This isnt about a quick-fix, but about putting in the work and discovering whats truly stopping you from moving forward.

You dont have to wait to live a passionate life. You can start right here, right now. But you have to be willing to take the next step. Joseph Campbell put it well when he said, Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.

If youre ready to be honest with yourself, and youre ready to take action, then youre in the right place.

So, what makes me an expert on living a passionate life?

First, I dont consider myself an expert.

Ive built a business doing work I love. Ive lived an unconventional life ever since I got out of high school. At the tender age of 18, I became a professional online poker player. I played poker for five years, before I realized that something was missing.

In the midst of my poker career, I started playing around with websites. I wasted over $10,000 on get rich quick scams and bad coaching. I spent years trying to figure things out.

In 2009 something clicked, and when it did, things took off.

At the end of 2009, my girlfriend and I (and our dog), moved to Spain for a year, all thanks to my online business.

Ever since that year, Ive been making a full-time living online. Each year Ive learned more about myself. Each year Im living life more aligned with my heart. It was at the end of 2009 that I started a blog called Wake Up Cloud. I didnt have any grand plans for it. I simply wanted to share my views on life.

But life has a tendency to surprise us, and thats exactly what happened. People quickly got interested in what I had to say, and I attracted a readership of thousands within just a few months.

People wanted to know how I was able to follow my passion, live in Spain, and overcome my fears. Thats where all this started. Im not an expert, but I do know a thing or two about what works and what doesnt.

Today, were no longer living in Spain. Weve returned back to Finland, where our family is. We also became parents in late 2011.

The work I do allows me to spend a large chunk of my day with my family and the people I care about. And it makes my heart sing to follow my passion. So you see, Im here to share with you what Ive found to work in my life, and in the lives of the people Ive helped.

With this book, I hope I can help you, too.

This book is divided into sections. Each of those sections focuses on just one of the passion questions. At the end of this book, you can download and print out a free workbook containing all the questions.

There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. The only mistake you can make is to not answer them.

These questions are springboards into the depth of your mind, heart and spirit. Because you already have the answers youre seeking. You already know what you need to know. You only have to uncover whats already there.

As you dive into the first few questions, youll immediately notice that this is not just about discovering your passion. Its also about uncovering how you hold yourself back. Some of these questions you may have heard before, but that doesnt make them ineffective. My goal here is not to wow you with new questions, but to help you move forward.

Its scary to jump into the unknown. Thats why many people would rather keep attending seminars, reading books, and pretending to make changes. Ultimately its up to you to take responsibility for your life.

The questions in this book will help you see whats stopping you, what youre passionate about, and what next steps you need to take. The only thing you need to get the most out of this book is a pen and a notebook (or a piece of paper).

If you want to explore the questions on your computer, thats fine, but I recommend good old pen and paper. Its a touch more magical that way. Heres how I recommend you go through each section:

1. Read the whole section.

2. Use the Time to Write sub-section to keep you on track.

3. Write down whatever comes to mind as you dive into the questions and prompts.

In short, all you have to do is read each section and then explore the question via writing. If youve never done this before, dont worry, simply write down what youre thinking. You dont have to be a writer. And you cant do this wrong.

This book is meant to be taken in slowly. The more time you spend with each question, the more clarity you will get.

When you put in the work, I guarantee that you will gain insight into how you can start moving toward living the life of your dreams. Youll discover whats stopping you, and youll discover what makes your heart sing.

But before you get there, youll probably feel uncomfortable, confused and uncertain. Thats normal. Sometimes this takes time. Let it be okay, and let life happen. You dont have to try and figure things out or force progress.

I know youre eager to get started, so lets dive into the first question, shall we?

Question: How do you define passion?

Have you ever looked at what your definition of passion is? Most people havent. Theyre trying to build a passionate life, all while having no idea what it is.

How can you know youve arrived if you dont know what youre after?

This question is about diving into what ideas, beliefs and thoughts you have around the word passion. Its about uncovering unrealistic expectations of what living your passion means.

When you look beyond the label, youll discover that this isnt about finding your passion.

Its about enjoying this moment.

Its about waking up, feeling excited to be alive, and feeling grateful to be doing what youre doing.

You jump out of bed, humming, and ready to tackle the day. Your life isnt devoid of problems, but you have an inner drive and energy guiding you through life.

Youre living life through your heart. You feel fulfilled, because you feel like youre where you need to be. Theres meaning to your life. And when you feel like this, you affect everyone around you. You contribute in a meaningful way to the world.