Let me ask you a personal question: do you have a passion problem?

I’m not asking about your hormonal levels but about your life’s passion. Money, responsibilities, others’ opinions aside, what do you really want to do with your remaining days?

This can be a really hard question for a lot of people to answer.

It was for me too. There I was for decades, working in a respectable career that I was good and which paid the bills — but I always a had a little itchy sense that I should be doing something else.

I just didn’t know what.

These days I am following my passion. I spend all day making stuff. I write. I draw. I read. And I talk to my friends about the stuff we make together. I never dread going to work. I’m never bored. I don’t hate my boss. In fact, my biggest problem is that I don't really want to ever take a day off. Weekends and vacations are less fun that pursuing my passion.

How did I get to be so lucky?

Well, I remember interviewing an illustrator and she said something funny that really stuck with me. She said, “I spend my day listening to Harry Potter books on tape and drawing. Just like I did when I was six.”

I think that might be the key to discovering your passion. Or should I say re-discovering your passion.

What did you love to do when you were a kid? Before you had to worry about earning a living?  

Did you love dressing up? Playing games? Telling stories? Make believe? Playing cops and robbers? Reading stories? Singing? Playing with your pets? Watching cartoons?

How true to that are you now? What elements of that thing you loved to do are still present in your life? Is there a hint of it? This was the root of your true passion and calling.  Can your reclaim any part of it?

When I was a little kid I used to make books. I built them. Illustrated them. Wrote them. Read them. Arranged them. Collected them. Dreamt about them.

And now I spend my day writing essays and running a company whose middle name is Book. Despite all the things I do, that is still my passion.

How about you? Are you being true to yours?

Your pal,

Danny

P.S. We were watching the Oscars last weekend and I had a flash of inspiration when they handed out the award for best animated short. "Hey, "I said to Jenny and Twiglet," I made an animated short! I'm going to send it into the Academy for next's year's show." I was feeling pretty good about that idea until I started to think about what I'll wear to the ceremonies. Should I go classic black tux? Or maybe something a little more creative. Pink jacket like the Rock? Embroidery like the two Daniels? Maybe a man skirt? Bulgari cufflinks? And which designers should I allow to collaborate with me? We'll see. Plenty of time for that. But I should start working on my acceptance speech asap. Don't worry, I'll remember to thank you.