It’s easy to lose the spark for work you once loved. Five strategies can help re-ignite your fire.

“Patricia Chen, a psychology professor at the University of Texas at Austin in the United States, conducted a study about it. To find out, she first surveyed 316 undergraduates from various academic disciplines about the ways their passion for their subject had changed over time. From the hundreds of responses, the researchers identified five common strategies that the students claimed had raised their motivation. They were:

• Recognizing personal relevance: For example, a business student can consider how their theoretical understanding might aid them in starting a business.

• Recognizing societal relevance: A student can consider how the subject might aid in their understanding of the world and how that understanding might ultimately help others.

• Building familiarity: Learning something new can stimulate someone’s interest in learning more as they become aware of new areas of interest, and just the accomplishment of making progress and completing challenging tasks can be gratifying in and of itself. So, someone who lacks motivation might search for fresh approaches to expand their skill set.

• Gaining practical experience: Many of the students discovered that internships and work experiences boosted their motivation for their academic studies.

• Finding mentors and changing the environment: Students could proactively look for lecturers who inspire them or friends who can make their work more enjoyable.

In conclusion, you don’t have to change careers. These strategies can all help reignite your passion and motivation. Remember, passion is not something that you either have or don’t have; it’s something that can be developed and nurtured over time.