Photo by Pin Adventure Map on Unsplash
An important aspect of choosing to matter is discovering what you are most passionate about; what you are willing to commit to.
If we are going to change the world and ask others to do the same, then we need to find and articulate at least one thing that we are fiercely passionate about.
The process of Heart Mapping can be done individually or as a group. Use the following template to get your started as you explore the questions below.
- What makes you happy?
- What do you love?
- What is the most fun you have ever had?
- What memory is your favorite?
- What things or objects are important to you?
- What things in your heart are sad? Make you cry?
- What secrets are in your heart?
- What are your favorite things, toys?
- What activities do you love?
2. What Breaks Your Heart About That?
This single question can cause some to to lie awake at night, wondering what happened to our lives and to our world and for others it can light a fire so bright it propels them to a greatness they never dreamed possible.
Give it a try. Here are instructions created by Karen MacMillan, a remarkable middle school teacher.
- In the center of your heart map, write and/or draw the things that you are passionate about.
- In the next level or circle, write and/or draw what breaks your heart about these things.
- In the final level or circle, write and/or draw your ideas for the ways to resolve these heartbreaks.
Here’s what her students created.
3. Turning HeartBreaks into BreakThrough
The process of uncovering pain points or what we call “mini heartbreaks” is what drives breakthrough innovation.
Instead of jumping into something that we cannot do because it is too big, we tackle mini heartbreaks and search for solutions which uncover the fundamental drivers of new opportunities.
Questions to Consider
- Person – who’s the specific person or people you’re innovating for?
- Activities – what are the everyday things they do, why, and to what ends?
- Insights – what are the processes, tools, or activities that they unnecessarily do or have invented themselves to “work around” the way things are “supposed” to be done?
- Needs – what are the biggest pain points that are the root causes of the problems, unmet needs, or desires? What are the workarounds, things that cause stress or concern, dissatisfaction, or anything else that’s responsible for their “pain”?
Here’s the process in action (Video)
The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to love, to transform, and to be greater than our suffering.
Map Your Heartbreak and find out how strong you truly are.
“If you want to find your passion, surrender to your heartbreak.
~ Umair Haque on hbr.com
