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How to find my passion ?

#career-choice

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Subject: Career question for you

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Nicole’s Answer

That is a very good question! What finds you joy and happiness is probably where I would start. I would think of the things to do in your world as generalized subjects first; such as physical activity, problem solving, and helping others.

Then isolate what categories bring you the most joy or fulfillment. You can even think of sub-subjects such as your school subjects; math, history, social studies etc. For instance, if you enjoy your biology class, explore that! Dive into documentaries and google various different job titles in that field. Once you find a job title that peaks your interest see if you can reach out to local businesses and organizations that contain that job title so you can ask questions from people active in that field (or even pose the question here under the subject so people who are in that field here can also help you out). Sometimes you can volunteer in these positions too to get a feel for how a day to day may be in that position.

Questions you can ask yourself to get ides and where to start:
Do you love the feeling of movement in your body? I.e. working out, yoga, dance, physically active activities. Do you enjoy puzzles and things that take time, complexity and problem solving? This could be doing puzzles, building things, drawing out to scale drawings (like blueprints or architecture), and even brain teasers. Do you enjoy math and sciences? From here, do you enjoy a science of particular study like biology, horticulture, chemistry, etc. Do you enjoy being outdoors? Do you enjoy music? Do you enjoy helping others, giving back, donating? One big question I would also ask yourself is do you like working with others, as a team, or do you prefer to work alone? This is something a lot of people often over look but can be a question that can determine if you are happy in job or not.

If you give this advice I shot I would be very interested to see how it turns out for you! Please leave me a comment if you try it and we can see how we can try another approach if this one does not work. It is sometimes really hard to find your "niche" or your passion. We all have one within us, it just takes a certain stimulus to bring it out.

Nicole recommends the following next steps:

Think about everything as a subject, once you pick subjects you like, start breaking down options in that subject that appeal to you.
Once you pick a subject, start reaserching the job title and duties more thoroghly.
Call on programs (like this) to speak to people working in that field or stop by the place of business to see if you can get a first hand expierence of what a day to day may be. Maybe look into internship options and volunteer efforts if they have any.
Find hobbies relatable to your area of interest and practice them daily or weekly whenever you can. If you get bored or are not driven to do it, then this may be a sign to look into different subjects.
Find friends who are interested in these same things and try something new with them, see if you like it too! Generally people in jobs have similar tendencies so you can also get a taste for how working with others with the same areas of interest may be.
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Jeffrey’s Answer

Hi Alaa,

Passion often does not knock on your door. For many people it is something that grows and needs to be cultivated. I am reminded of the 1946 Christmas movie "It is a Wonderful Life." The lead character dreams of a career building bridges, but family circumstances make that impossible. He ends up owning a small town bank. He is a caring man who loans money to the towns people so they can buy the things they need like a car or a house or just for paying medical bills. This was not the career he imagined, but he has become a beloved person in the community for his generosity. When his time of need comes, because of his misfortune, the hundreds of his bank has helped come to his aid. He then realizes how he has shaped his town for the better.

That point is that being a banker was never what he intended to do. But he needed to work and this was an opportunity for him. He worked hard and built a job that made a positive difference to many people. Who knows in the end whether he would have been happier building bridges.

Sp passion for you might come from working hard at something you are already doing.

Good luck.
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Michael’s Answer

Great question. Think about what you enjoy doing doing and what are your interests. Write them down and go through all the pros and cons you can think of to help you better decide your passion. Go with what your heart tells you and just always trust yourself and be confident. You will do great.
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Padmapriya’s Answer

Hi Alaa,

Nice question. Here are some basic tips to find out your passion,

1. Ask Yourself: Is there something you already love doing?
2. Find out what you spend hours reading about.
3. Brainstorm.
4. Ask around, and surf for possibilities.
5. Give it a try first.
6. Do as much research as possible.
7. Practice, Practice, and Practice Some More.

As k yourself: What isn’t working for you? What drains you, makes you stressed, or wastes your time?

This question helps us determine what we want less of in our lives or what we want to get rid of altogether. When we feel stuck or unhappy, it helps to think about how much time we spend on activities that we don’t enjoy, and if we are willing to take that with us in the future.

Passion is within ourselves.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!!
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Carolyn’s Answer

Hi Alaa. Finding your passion or different things you are passionate about is part of the journey. I'd ask yourself a few questions:

What activities bring you joy and you don't find doing as a "chore?"

Dig a little deeper within and get curious with yourself about - why does this activity bring you so much joy?

As others have mentioned, would you enjoy this as much if money wasn't involved?

You can have multiple passions and joys, and they will evolve as you experience in life grows. Be patient... your passions will reveal themselves in time and they might even surprise you.
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Megan’s Answer

As someone who has changed their major three times since entering college, I understand the boat you're in. It's crazy that society pushes high school students to decide what they want to do before even getting a taste of the workforce.

Finding your passion doesn't have to be a daunting task. It can actually be quite fun. For me, I first thought of all of the possible careers I could envision myself in. The internet is an infinite resource. I quite literally watched a multitude of youtube videos in all of the subjects I was interested in. It helps to see the full picture as well as the career in a different lens. Another way to do this would be to reach out to people that you know in that particular field. Connections with those professionals can help you to narrow down those choices you've made. There are plenty of dream jobs that I would love to have but now knowing the facts and the demands of that career, I've refined my decisions.

Finding your passion is also about making decisions that make you happy. When finding a passion you want to make sure you're making that decision completely on your own. This is the career, the hobb,y etc. that you re going to be doing every day. I've made this mistake far too many times for my own good. I let other people influence a decision for my future. I felt myself losing passion for my passions. However, after reevaluating I was able to refocus on what I really want from my life.

Finding and committing to things you are passionate about can be a trying process full of trial and error. However, finding out what you truly want to do and achieve in life is one of the most rewarding experiences.
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Kristi’s Answer

You find your passion inside yourself! What do you enjoy? What makes you happy? Things that you like? What makes you the happiest in life everyday?
Passion is something we all have within ourselves, it's not anything anyone can give you but YOU!
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Miyoshee’s Answer

That is a really good question. Don't over think it just ask yourself what comes natural to you? What do you love to do each day? How does doing it make you feel? How can what you love to do turn into a career? I hope this was helpful just remember no one can tell you what your passion is it comes from within and then it is up to you to make that passion bloom and allow it to work for you! Good luck to you!
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Justin’s Answer

I realize you have other people who have Chimed in here, but I wanted to provide perspective (not my own) but from Mike Rowe. If you are unfamiliar with him, he was the host of a show called Dirty Jobs and was/is the narrator for Deadliest Catch.

The video link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVEuPmVAb8o

In Summary he says to NOT follow your passion but instead your ability. Passion is wonderful but can often times lead you down the wrong path or even one you may not be particularly great at.
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Jane’s Answer

I believe you can find things that make you passionate by trying new things. If you are unsure if you would enjoy something but have some interest, try and find a way to engage. You will need to be flexible and open minded depending on your interest - since as you learn more about what excites you, it may become clear that you need additional skills or education. Perhaps you can get an internship or spend a couple of days shadowing someone in a field or position you are interested in. When you start this journey, it might be that you don't find exactly what you are looking for on the first attemtp, but that the trip does lead you to your passion.
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Jackie’s Answer

Hi Alaa,

Finding your passion is all about finding something that not only you're skillful at, but as well as something that challenges you to do better everyday.

"What tasks do I enjoy"
"If I continue to practice, can I get better"
"Does this task challenge me? Will it bring me new experiences?"

These are some important questions to ask yourself when discovering what you're passionate about. This could be anything such as painting, writing, sports, academics, learning, teaching, managing, coordinating, organizing, etc., if you find something to be passion about you can take it down the road to a career path!
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Stephen’s Answer

Finding your passion comes easy for some, and is much harder for others. Some people know early on exactly what they want to do with their life, while others will discover is along the way. So, here are some of my suggestions:

Stephen recommends the following next steps:

Think of all the things in your life that bring you joy. What possible careers align with those?
What would you do for a career if money weren't an issue?
Try new things and keep an open mind. Your passion might be hidden
What you are passionate about today, might be different tomorrow. Don't be afraid to pivot and go a new direction. That isn't failure, that's life!
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Bryan’s Answer

Always a tricky question, Alaa - but a good one! I actually did a really valuable exercise a year or two ago. I did this as part of my company's yearly offsite and wish I had done it years earlier!

I don't remember all of the specifics, but it involved a partner and question prompts. You would be given a question one at a time and then talk it out with your partner. The questions varied but went along on a theme of "Talk about several different activities or experiences you've had in the past few years that really made you feel fulfilled. Try to pick several activities from several different times/places". After you would talk about these different experiences, your partner takes a turn trying to identify common threads or themes that may be common across 2+ of those experiences.

For me, it made me realize that what really drives me is working with others, helping to deliver unique experiences to myself and others, and being able to see development in those around me. I always knew that those were things that drove me, but talking it out loud helped clarify the directions that I should go and what I should look for in future jobs! Oftentimes, where people find "passion" are in the types of activities and interactions they have, and not necessarily the specific WHAT of what they're doing.

Hope this was helpful!
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