My wife borrowed a book from the library called The Passion Test. We are self-help book junkies, but actually what happens most often is that my wife is the reader and I gain knowledge vicariously through her.

Anyway, she just got it today and the first few pages suggest we do this passion test. It's simple. Write down your passions -- not your goals, but things you love to do. Then rank it by comparing them among each other -- be sure not to just pick out ones you think are important, actually compare and carefully consider each. Then once you pick your top 5, rate each a scale of 0-10, 10 being most fulfilled.

You'd think you know the answers before you start it, but I was surprised by what were on my top list.

1) Relaxing with my family -8
2) Tackling a great challenge - 7
3) Watching our kids grow up - 9
4) Mentoring bright and eager pupils - 0
5) Discussing issues I feel passionate about: psychology, culture, life, and other big and heavy topics - 2
6) Writing about issues above - 9
7) Making music - 1

Well, to me the biggest surprise were 4) and 7). I didn't expect 6 things to go above 7), while 4) I wasn't really thinking about -- but I would love to do that, and I don't get to do that at all right now. 2) does actually include 7), in a way that music to me is the most challenging thing I do in my life. I struggle and wrestle with it, but that challenge is precisely what makes it worthwhile. But while I enjoy the challenge of music, I also enjoy other challenges -- I'm interested in running a business (entrepreneurship), building innovative web sites and applications, and of course, saving the world. ;-) I am very much challenged right now b/c what I'm doing here is very much starting my own music business. But unfortunately right now my main activity focuses on promotion and building online vehicles for promotion, so it doesn't involve actually making music. It's a bummer, but I'll get back to that soon.

Looking at the fulfillment ratings, I'm not doing too badly -- though rather unbalanced. I'm short of close friends to do 5) with, though thanks to blogs (and everyone who's responding to them) 6) is fulfilled well. I am not an unhappy nor at the moment -- but there are ways to go.

The book tells us to do this every 6 months, as our passions change. Check out the book (written by Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood) or just try this test yourself if you're curious.