It’s Never too Late to Find Your Passion
When I graduated from high school, I had big plans. 25 years later, I went back and gave my commencement speech. I talked about how different my life is today compared to what I thought it would look like 25 years ago. My topic was: It’s never too late to find your passion, or to find a way to monetize it.
Today, I’m doing my dream job: I’m helping people all over the world find their true passion, start the right business, and turn it into a profitable business with a six and seven figure income. I’m a lifestyle entrepreneur, but it took me 22 years since I graduated from high school to understand that this was my passion.
My Journey
Maybe you’re thinking that you have a plan for life. Or maybe you thought you had a plan, then wake up one day and aren’t so sure about what you’re supposed to do anymore. When I graduated from high school, I decided to become an architect. I applied to study in Germany and bought a one way ticket. I thought I would move back to Iceland after I graduated and work as an architect – I felt I had a clear plan.
However, two years before I graduated as an architect, I realized that this wasn’t my purpose in life. I enjoyed studying architecture, but after working a few summers as an architecture student, I realized this was not it.
My mother was disappointed that I didn’t want to work as an architect/ I felt a certain pressure, but my conviction was so strong. I realized I had to change my life plan. Though I did graduate as an architect, I decided to change direction. I moved over into computer science and participated in the dot com era of 2000. Since I was a child, I had leadership qualities and within a few months of starting at an IT company, I became a manager.
Unfortunately, the dot com era was a crash and burn situation and a lot of companies went bankrupt, the company I was working at included. I started working as a project manager at another IT company and decided to apply for the CEO post when the company got sold after a year. The new investor hired me straight away.
Having this increased responsibility, I decided to do an MBA at London Business School. Sometimes, I compare myself to this guy from an Icelandic soap opera who has five university degrees and is so over-studied that the only job he can get is working at the petrol station. But the truth is, when you’re an entrepreneur you’re studying every single day. You’re doing something every day, which makes you learn and study every day, too.
Be Willing to Change Your Plan
Then I got sick and couldn’t work for seven months. As a result, I lost my job. But while my body was sick, my mind was sharp. I started to re-evaluate life and what I really wanted to do. I knew I wanted to work for myself, enjoy the work I do and have the freedom to work from wherever I wanted to.
What I’m doing today wasn’t possible 30 years ago. The internet had only just started to exist. Living in one country and having clients in other countries, only seeing them on video, seemed like a crazy idea. I don’t know if I’ll be doing what I’m doing today in ten years. But I do feel that after over 20 years, I have found my path. What’s more, this path will just develop into something bigger and brighter. I will be able to write my book and influence more people. To share this thought that it’s never too late to find your passion.
Steve Jobs said, “Don’t waste your life living someone else’s life”. The world is constantly changing, and 25 years from now, the world will be completely different again.
That’s why I think you should have a plan, but you should be willing to adapt and change it. You should always follow your heart and speak your mind, even if your voice is shaking. And you should never stop learning.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s okay to change your mind, change your path, follow a new passion and switch direction when you have a business.
- Speak your mind.
- Have a balance between learning and executing.
- Put your health first.
