How does one achieve success and personal satisfaction at the same time? That is the million dollar question. One which Sir Ken Robinson answers in his brilliant book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.

This book is filled with examples of people who did just that; people who did not necessarily achieve academically, but by finding their element, were able to create the life of their dreams. By element he means “the meeting point between natural aptitude and personal passion.” This post will focus on one aspect of Robinson’s book – that the path to finding your passion is often non-linear. He writes,

One of the most basic reasons for thinking that it’s too late to be who you are truly capable of being is the belief that life is linear.

In the book, Robinson tells the story of director Ridley Scott. Scott went to art school with no interest in making films. From there, he worked in printing (for four years), then as a designer for the BBC. After two more years, he was put in a director’s course. For a while, though, he did some advertising work, before directing commercials and then television. Finally, he moved on to film, which was his true passion, although he enjoyed all the work he had done previously. I’m sure that everything he learned to that point has proven valuable as a film director.

My own story is also decidedly non-linear. 

I grew up with a passion for figure skating. I also did well at school, because I loved to read and do Math. Finishing high school in the 70’s, I was a woman who planned to get a Math degree and pursue a career in business. And, that’s what I did over the next 10 years.

During that time, I married my husband, and four years later we had our first child. My husband was offered a job transfer to the U.S. (from Canada) and we jumped at the opportunity for a big adventure. The only thing was that I couldn’t work until I received my green card, giving me time at home with my daughter. When my green card came in two years later, my second daughter was five days old, and I quite enjoyed my time at home with them.

Fast forward twenty plus years. What have I done with my time?

I’ve helped raise three children, done volunteer work, started a monthly newsletter for parents, honed my computer skills, discovered photography (definitely a personal passion) and learned darkroom work, switched to digital photography, went back to school for a masters degree in environmental issues, worked part-time for an environmental nonprofit, was part of a cooperative art gallery, and finally developed a website and online classes in contemplative photography.

It has been a long and winding road to finding my true element – inspiring contemplative living through photography. There are times when I wondered what the hell I was doing, what my true passion was, and whether I was wasting my time.

Yet, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing.

My math background and computer skills have helped me tremendously in setting up an online presence. Going back to school helped me to work on my writing skills. I see my kids and their friends graduating from high school and college, desperate to know what they are going to do with their lives (and often pushed by their parents to know). With this generation, especially, there will be no linear path and that’s okay.

It’s great if you find your element early on. I think more could find it earlier if they learned how to really pay attention and honor what makes them come alive (parents and teachers can help tremendously here). Just like flowers, some bloom early and some bloom later in the season.

Have you had a non-linear path? Found your element? How did you get there?