For years, we have been conditioned to chase higher salaries rather than our dreams. We have been told to follow money rather than our hearts. We have been taught that “stuff” will make us happy.

We have been lied to.

So many people are unhappy today with their careers. Many question why that is and struggle to understand it. How can one make good money (or not so good money) and still not be happy? The reason is this–having nice things does not produce joy. Following your passion, however, will cause you to look forward to every day with great anticipation. You will wake up each morning with a smile on your face, a positive attitude and feel good about the world you have created for yourself. No amount of money can produce that. Take a moment to read this article for a great illustration of someone being passionate about a topic. You can literally feel the author’s powerful emotions shine through as he writes about what he loves.

So how do you determine what it is you are passionate about? How does one go about figuring out what to do for a living? Start by creating a joy list using this free worksheet here. This exercise is simple: write down a list of things that make you happy. The next step will be to determine how to turn your passion into income.