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Between school, homework, prepping for college, extracurriculars, your social life, and family time… you’re drained. How could you possibly add on anything more to your schedule? Well, a passion project may actually help you to reduce stress, tap into your talents, and channel your creativity in a fulfilling way.

What exactly is a passion project? It’s a project that you work on outside of school in your free time. It’s called a “passion” project because it usually involves something that brings you great joy and satisfaction, something that allows you enter a state of flow (that feeling of being “in the zone”). This project can be anything from volunteer work to writing a book to starting a business. It’s all about what makes you happy and helps you escape the pressures of your daily life. Read on for some tips to get you started on your own passion project!

Ask yourself why you want to start your project

What makes it meaningful to you? There may come times when working on this project will feel frustrating, or there may come days when you would rather watch the newest show on Netflix. Motivate yourself by remembering why you started this project in the first place.

Make a plan

It’s likely that your passion project is big. (Possibly bigger than anything you have accomplished before). Think about all the things you need to do in order to succeed, and break it down into tangible steps. By organizing yourself, those smaller tasks will make it easier to tackle. Now that you’ve made a plan, set aside time everyday or every week to work on your passion project. If scheduling isn’t your cup of tea, check out these tips!

Seek mentorship

In starting a passion project, you will open yourself to new opportunities. One of these opportunities may include finding a mentor. An exceptional mentor provides an abundance of wisdom, encouragement, and feedback on your personal and professional growth. Don’t sweat it if you’re nervous to ask someone to be your mentor; most people would love to help. If you want to experience the benefits of having a trusted adviser, check out these suggestions!

Get started!

No matter what your passion project entails, don’t be afraid to just jump in and begin. The sooner you make this project a part of your routine, the better! It may even be helpful to tell other people about it. Not only will this open you up to a support system that encourages you, but it will also hold you accountable.

Don’t be afraid to fail

When you fail, you are gaining knowledge and taking yourself one step closer to succeeding. These limitations may even spark the inspiration necessary to find new solutions! Ultimately, you want to view your setbacks as opportunities to reflect, improve, and move forward. With this shift in perspective, nothing will be able to stop you from achieving your dreams! For more information, here are some tips to alter your mindset and understand how to deal with failure.

If you’ve got an idea for a passion project, definitely go for it. Especially if you’re someone that isn’t heavily involved in extracurriculars, this can be a great outlet for you to work on outside of school (and even add to your college apps). If you’re not sure about your passions, read more about discovering yourself here!