Whilst introverts are usually quite good at knowing what they’re passionate about and where their talents lie, some might still struggle to find their true purpose or a passion that truly fuels and inspires them. 

Let’s be honest, it’s not always easy. It’s like going back to childhood and having someone ask you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” We don’t always have the answer—even as an adult. 

In this post, I’ll be delving into what might be holding you back from finding your purpose and passion as an introvert and offering advice to help you uncover it for yourself. 

Types of Passions That Introverts Tend to Have

If there’s one thing about introverts, it’s that they gravitate towards things that allow them to explore and express themselves in ways that don’t necessarily require a lot of external interaction or energy. 

While passions will vary from person to person, here are some types of passions that many introverts tend to have:

A love for creative arts

Writing, painting, music—these are all creative outlets where introverts can express themselves without the need for an audience. In the comfort of your own space—where there’s no judgement, just pure enjoyment—these passions flow freely and give introverts the means to completely be themselves through whichever form of art they love most. 

Reading

The solace in reading is more than just an indulgence for introverts—it’s an escape into different worlds and ideas; ones which pull us far away from the hecticness and stresses of life. It’s fair to say that introverts are pretty passionate about words; well, reading them rather than speaking them. 

Collecting

Whether it’s coins, stamps, vintage items, or even specific memorabilia, collecting is one of those solitary passions which many introverts enjoy because they can fully immerse themselves in their interests and learn about the things they collect.

Nature and outdoor activities

While introverts may not be a fan of large social gatherings, they have no problem being outdoors and finding peace in nature. Whether it’s simply reading a book against a tree or going for a nice long walk, many introverts find their passion in a solitary outdoor activity. 

Technology 

Many people find their passion in technology, whether for coding, digital design or something else. It gives introverts the chance to do what they do best—working independently and often in the comfort of their own space. 

Solo sports

Sport can appeal to introverts because there are many solo sport choices to get into. Running, cycling, swimming, and yoga are often the popular options as they don’t involve interactivity with large groups of people. 

Photography

The appeal of photography for introverts is not just in the ability to capture moments and perspectives in silence and solitude—it’s being able to use something that allows you to fully express yourself and your creativity.

Why Introverts Tend to Be More Creative

Creativity isn’t limited to any one personality type—anyone can be creative, but introverts tend to have a flare for creativity. It would be more surprising to meet an introvert who didn’t have a creative passion than one who did. 

It’s often our behaviour and preferences as introverts that allows our creativity to flourish. Our desire for solitude provides the perfect environment for self-discovery. When alone, we can focus on things without distractions, giving us the perfect mental space to explore new ideas and discover creative activities that we love. 

We’re also much more attuned to our inner world—we delve deep and reflect a lot, and with that comes the flow of creativity. Then there’s also our observant natures, which help us notice the small details, and our ability to focus when it matters. I imagine you could spend hours doing something you truly enjoy, and I bet in that time it’s sure to be something creative in one way or another. 

What Might Be Holding You Back From Finding Your Purpose and Passion?

Circling back to the main point of this post—finding your purpose and passion—you might find yourself struggling to identify something that truly resonates with you. Sure, you might have things that you are passionate about, but narrowing something down to a true passion (which can then fuel your purpose) is sometimes a little more difficult. 

So, what might be holding you back from discovering your purpose and passion? 

You might be overthinking it

Although it can’t always be helped, overthinking is the biggest hindrance to any form of action—whether it’s achieving your goals or deciding something as simple as what’s for dinner. 

Our own minds can often work against us, but only when we allow it to. If you’re someone that overthinks a lot, try and make your choices easier. If you have too many ideas floating around in your head about what you want to do or achieve, it will likely overwhelm you. The best thing to do is narrow down your focus, instead of swamp yourself with too much to think about.

It’s also worth jotting your thoughts down in a journal as this can help you to organise them and prevent you from feeling so overwhelmed. 

You might be trying to hard

If you’re struggling to find your purpose and passion, it might be down to something as straightforward as trying too hard. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Instead, try and let things happen more naturally.

The fear of being judged

If you’re like me, you might prefer keeping things to yourself (especially your goals and aspirations) for fear of what others may think. Introverts hate the attention on them regardless, but worse we cringe at the thought of being judged. 

But it could be this fear of judgement that is holding you back from discovering your purpose and passion and actually making something of it. 

The need for external validation

On the flip side, you might feel that you need external validation (usually from a friend or family member) in order to know if something is worth pursuing or is right for you. 

What’s important to remember, however, is that you know yourself better than anyone else, and whilst your friends and family may have your best interests at heart, they might not necessarily know what is best for you. 

If you rely on their opinions or their validation, you’ll likely struggle to find passions that truly align with your values.

Fear of commitment 

If there’s one thing for sure that might be holding you back from finding your purpose and passion as an introvert, it’s the fear of actually committing to something. 

It might be easier to float from idea to idea or dive into different interests but here’s the thing—a passion takes commitment in order for it to become your purpose. 

If you’re worried about committing to something in fear of it not working out or wasting your time, don’t be. You’ll know sooner rather than later whether something is worth carrying on and whether you enjoy it or not. 

A lack of guidance

We all need a bit of guidance in our lives—even introverts—but that doesn’t mean we always have it. Whilst you might be perfectly capable of making decisions for yourself, it doesn’t hurt to have someone guide you towards new passions and help you find your purpose. 

Guidance can be found in the people you trust most, so don’t be afraid to reach out to those closest to you. No matter how small your circle is, make sure you have the right people in it. When surrounded by like-minded, encouraging individuals, they’ll always lead you in the right direction. 

Feeling anxious about trying new things

It’s normal to feel anxious about trying new things. I think we know this better than anyone. The comfort zone is comfortable for a reason and as introverts we always feel more secure with what we know. But in order to find your purpose and passion, you might need to take a step outside of the box you know so well. 

How to Uncover Your Passion

Uncovering your passion as an introvert is a deeply personal journey, but you may be wondering what steps to take to get there. Here’s what you can do to help uncover your passion.

Reflect on where your interests lie

A passion will stem from an interest you already have, so think about where your interests lie. What fulfills you the most? What brings you joy? What is something you’d set aside all other things for? Do you have any interests that you’d want to turn into something productive or make the most of?

When reflecting on your interests, you’ll be surprised to find that you already have a passion for something worth dedicating your time to. 

Cast back to past experiences

A lot of passions are usually influenced by past experiences. Take yourself back to when you were a child. What did you enjoy? Has anything stuck with you since then? 

The experiences we have as children are what shape us and our interests, and they stay with us in adulthood too. The key to unlocking your passion is most likely in an experience you’ve already had.

Explore quietly

As an introvert, you probably have no problem quietly exploring new ideas and hobbies, but don’t be afraid to experiment too. The great thing about the world today is that things can be discovered at the touch of a button, and there’s a world of resources at our fingertips.

Connect with like-minded individuals

Surrounding yourself with like-minded people who share your interests will bring out the best in you, and allow yourself to completely be, well, yourself. You’ll feel more comfortable and confident sharing your likes and dislikes, without the fear of being judged, and your passions will naturally flourish. 

Trust and listen to your inner voice

The best thing you can do when trying to find your passion is to trust yourself and listen to your inner voice. You’ll know what truly feels right for you, so always trust your gut and don’t let doubt or judgement stop you from going after what you really want. 

Reflecting on Your Dreams

Everyone has dreams. You might be someone who’s had the same dream since they were a child, or you might be someone who’s just discovering theirs. Either way, it’s important to reflect on the dreams you’ve had, regardless of whether it’s something you still want to chase or not. Whilst your dreams may change over time, they help define and shape you.

Defining Your Purpose

As an introvert, you may think it’s harder or that you need to have more extroverted qualities to find your purpose, but you’d be very wrong. 

Your purpose is something that you’ll find, regardless of what personality trait you have. Everyone has a purpose, and everyone’s purpose—and how they discover it—will be different. 

Here are some things that will help you to define your purpose: 

• Understanding your values
• Your passions and interests
• Your strengths and skills
• Your personal experiences
• The opportunities you take advantage of
• The feedback you get from others 
• Thinking about the legacy you want to create

What Calls to You?

To help uncover your purpose, think about what calls to you. This is something that is deeply personal and unique to each individual. Think about the things that inspire you, that drive you and leave you feeling fulfilled. 

Here are some things that might ‘call to you’:

• A passion or interest
• Helping others
• Something creative 
• Exploration and adventure 
• Personal growth
• Connection

What to Do Once You’ve Found Your Passion and Purpose

Once you’ve found your passion and purpose, it’s time to start living it out. So, how might you start? Well, the first thing you’ll want to do is set some goals for yourself. Creating short and long-term goals will definitely help you stay motivated. 

Another worthwhile idea is creating a plan based on your goals to help you achieve them. So, whether pen and paper is your preference or you’d rather type up a plan on your laptop, get a plan down and start creating steps to turn your passion into something tangible. 

It’s important to remember that passion will only get you so far—you also have to be consistent, and that means making choices that will drive you towards your purpose rather than away from it. 

When you’ve found your passion and purpose, it’s also worth finding your community, meaning people who share the same values as you, perhaps share the same passion, and who will support you. Even if you’re someone who struggles to connect with people or prefers their own company, it’s worth exploring different groups and making connections with those who share your passions and enthusiasm. 

Embracing Your Passion as an Introvert

Embracing your passion is more than just striving to achieve what you’ve always wanted to do, it’s about integrating what you love into the life you already have or making your life all about the passion that fuels your purpose. 

Here are a few ways you can embrace your passion, even as an introvert who might want to keep it to themselves or be worried about their potential:

Make time for your passion

The best way to embrace your passion is to make time for it. I’m sure as an introvert you’ll have no problem finding the time to dedicate to it. In fact, it will be the only thing you think about and I bet you’ll be more than happy to dodge a social event to focus on it. 

Tell people about it

As an introvert myself, I get it if you prefer keeping your passions and goals to yourself. Often introverts feel a lot more comfortable having something they’re working towards or something that they enjoy without anyone else knowing. As the saying goes “move in silence,” which I definitely stand by, but I also think there are times when it’s worth telling people about your passions. 

Why? Because other people can be your biggest supporters and motivators. In your times of doubt, they can be your encouragement and prevent you from giving up.

Integrate your passion into your daily life 

Whilst your passion is your life, make it a part of it too. Fit it into your schedule as much as you can, daydream about it, do it, and live it. And if and when possible, infuse your passion into your career.

Build habits around your passion

Building habits around your passion will not only help you to embrace it but also help you to practise it regularly. Your habits will help you to feel more connected to your passion, and when you feel more connected to something, progress will always be made. 

Balance your passion with rest

As much as you’ll want to embrace your passion, it’s also important to find the right balance between pursuing it and allowing yourself to rest. Remember, it’s okay to take a short break from your passions when you need to. If you push yourself too hard, you’ll likely experience burnout—and that’s something we’d rather avoid. 

Make it a part of your identity

Become your passion and let it influence how you present yourself, through your actions, your choices, and even your appearance and the way you communicate. You can embrace the identity of someone who lives and breathes their passion, regardless of what others think or the external validation you may or may not receive. 

Dealing With Self-Doubt About Your Purpose and Passion

It’s completely normal to doubt yourself and your abilities when it comes to your purpose and passion. You might question whether you’ve found the right passion or whether you’re even following your true purpose. You might overthink things, especially when in solitude as this is when your feelings of uncertainty are more likely to be amplified, but it’s okay. 

This is what you can do when you have those feelings of self-doubt:

Acknowledge your feelings

You’ll know when those feelings of self-doubt start to creep in, whether it takes its form in a lack of motivation or overthinking. Just know that it’s okay to have these feelings and acknowledge them. Whilst they might not instantly go away, simply knowing that you have doubts is the first step to tackling them. 

If it makes things easier, try and reflect on why you are having self-doubts. Is it fear of failure, comparing yourself to other people, or simply just not feeling good enough? Let all those thoughts out by writing them down. It might just make you feel a little better.

Seek validation from within

Whilst you might not always seek external validation, you might find yourself receiving it—and it might not always help you. Instead, try seeking validation from within yourself, rather than from others, and see how it makes you feel. 

If you’re someone that easily compares themselves to other people, take a step back and shift your focus from the expectations of others to your own. Remember to trust your own intuition, regardless of what anyone else says. 

Embrace your strengths as an introvert

Whether you know it or not, you have great strengths as an introvert that are more than capable of helping you overcome any self-doubt that you might have. Understand that being introverted is a strength in itself—you don’t need to compare yourself or feel like you need to be extroverted.

Introverts are amazing thinkers and listeners, so use these strengths to help you understand your thoughts and feelings better and why you might be having them.

Block out any negative internal dialogue

Negative thoughts will fuel your self-doubt more than anything, so when your inner critic tries to come out, gently push it back down. Of course, it’s not always possible to stop your intrusive, negative thoughts, but you can challenge them.

Ask yourself, “Is this negative thought based on facts or assumptions?” or “What’s the worst-case scenario?” If you can answer these questions confidently, it might help you realise that you’re simply overthinking. The best thing you can do is replace your negative thoughts with affirmations that focus on your strengths and your purpose. 

Quiet your mind

Our minds can often be the noisiest of places. For introverts, it’s when we’re in our quietest of places that our thoughts are the loudest, but there are ways to calm our minds. If you’ve never meditated or done deep breathing exercises, now’s the time to do it. When you clear your mind, you’ll be able to reconnect with your inner thoughts and tackle your doubts with a better perspective.

Make your steps more manageable

Trying to take big steps or too many steps at once will only overwhelm you. If you have feelings of self-doubt, you’re likely overwhelming yourself and making your goals too big or setting your expectations too high.

So, what should you do? The answer is simple—break your steps up and make them smaller and more manageable. 

Give yourself permission to be imperfect

No one’s perfect, and yes, I’m sure you’ve heard this a million times, but it’s true. So allow yourself to be imperfect and, heck, why not embrace it! It’s about the journey, after all—because the journey isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress and finding yourself.

Realise that accepting your imperfections is a natural part of pursuing something meaningful and worthwhile.