How can I choose field of work that'll assure me that I'll enjoy the rest of my life working?

Hi Rubylynn,
When I was your age, my greatest fear was not figuring out what my true passion was. At the time, my English teacher said that some of her friends hadn’t discovered theirs, people that were over 40. And that’s perfectly ok, you know why? Those people are some of the most interesting people you’ll ever meet. : )
I always had this idea that there was something that I was uniquely good at, so I’ve tried lots of different things hoping to find THE ONE. What I’ve come to realize is that talent isn’t nearly as important as hard work, and in order to want to invest the time and energy in something, it has to be interesting to you. In other words, instead of looking for one thing that you have a special aptitude for, start to consider the things (in general) that interest you. You may feel like you’re interested in everything, but take a closer look. If I asked you what type of music you liked, you might say you listen to a lot of different things, and that’s probably true. But you don’t listen to ALL radio stations, right? Instead, you’ve probably gravitated towards a few, even programmed them into the radio in your (or your parent’s car). And to take it a step further, on those stations, certain artists probably stand out to you. Some you wouldn’t care if they played a concert nearby while others you follow in social media and would love to see in concert, even if it meant driving several hours away.
College is a lot like that. You’ll want to pick a generalized degree that allows you to choose classes in a variety of different subjects. Or perhaps you already have a school subject that you like more than the others (even if you don’t ace it every time, think about what you enjoy.) As you go through college and take more and more specific classes, you’ll learn pretty quickly what you like and don’t like – what you want to spend your time learning about vs. the homework you just want to get done so you can go on to other things. Internships are also a great way of exploring different professional settings. Talk to the other people in the company to see what interests them about what they do and see if it’s something that sounds good to you.
Not every kid grows up wanting to be a firefighter (though I’m really glad some do!). I definitely was not that kid, and although I haven’t exactly followed a straight path through my career, I have done a lot of really interesting things that I’m glad to have done! In my experience, passion isn’t a lightning bolt “Eureka!” moment; rather, it’s something that whispers to you quietly, “Hey, that’s pretty cool.”
Best of luck to you – I think you’ll do great!
-Kelly

Hi Rubylynn,

Is there anything that you would do for free? If so, I'd say start there. Why would you do it for free? Does it help people? Is it considered a major in college? If not, maybe you want to be an entrepreneur. To do that you'd have to understand business. Just know that sometimes your major can be a stepping stone to your real goals in life. Honestly, there is a good number of people who have jobs that have absolutely nothing to do with their major in college. It's okay to not know what you want to do at 16. You're still young and you have time. And don't compare yourself to everyone. Everyone does not have the same talent as you do. You'll find it. The best way to find is to be opening to opportunities that will help you grow as a person. It will come, trust me.

Best of Luck.