2. How do I figure out my passion?

“I find myself pondering career changes but come up short when I can’t put my finger on what I’m passionate about,” writes Grace, from Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. “I gravitate toward leisurely activities — eating, working out, reading, or doing crossword puzzles. This seems lazy, and I have a 14-year-old daughter for whom I would like to set a positive example.”

We all make finding our passion so hard when, in reality, it’s so easy that we often miss it. This might help.

Step 1: Embrace the things you like. Grace, it’s no accident that you gravitate toward food, working out, and reading. Are they satisfying? Do they get you fired up? Then don’t dismiss them. If you want to turn one of those passions into a career, you could work for a catering company, teach a gym class, or work in a bookstore or a library.

Step 2: Still not convinced? Try this exercise. Imagine you’re at a party where you don’t know anyone and you’re wishing you were somewhere else. But then you overhear a small group talking about something so compelling that you forget your shyness and walk straight up to them and say, “Excuse me. I couldn’t help overhearing you talking about X, and I just had to get into the conversation.” What are they talking about? Is it Tuscan cooking? Or something you hadn’t considered, like raising golden retrievers? Whatever it is, it’s a passion of yours. Maybe not the only one, but one you love. See what you can make out of it.

3. What if I’m not good enough?

So many of you are worried about being perfect! Michele, from Oak Park, Illinois, says, “I’ve never tried anything unless I knew I would succeed. Needless to say, this has limited my range of experiences. Do you have a 12-step program for perfectionists?”

OK, show of hands: Who is perfect? Thought so. Well, it doesn’t take 12 steps to give yourself a break.

Step 1: Think like a child. As kids, we didn’t insist on a guarantee that we would be perfect before we got on a bike, mounted a horse, or waded into a pool. If we had, we would still be crawling. Ask yourself, “What would a kid do?” So you made a soufflé that flopped? Laugh and make another one. You have an idea that you’re afraid the boss won’t love? Blurt it out. She can only say no.

Step 2: Forget about winning. Concentrate on playing. Is everyone going to love what you do? No. Does that matter? No. Love the doing of whatever it is — not the results or the accolades. Your love of it will come through, and success, however you define it, will follow.