Studies have shown that those who are truly happy found their joy as a result of following their passion–not following money.  Most of us have this backwards. Money will get you stuff, stuff will make you happy temporarily, but ultimately your thoughts will return to dreading Monday morning.

So how do you find your passion? How do you figure out what you are wired to do? Start by creating a “joy list.” Grab a piece of paper and write down 10 or 20 things that bring you joy. Take your time and really give this some thought. This process will require some serious soul-searching and may take a few days to complete.

Once you have a list of things that make you happy, get creative and begin thinking about how you can turn these passions into a source of income. Try to refrain from thinking in traditional terms or you may become frustrated. This will take time, imagination and creativity.  

As an aside, those same studies mentioned earlier also found that those who follow their passion ultimately become wealthy as a result. When you spend your time angaged in an activity that you enjoy, you will pour everything you have into it and success will undoubtedly follow.