4 answers
Peyton
Student
Parkersburg, West Virginia
1
Question
Asked
646 views
How hard is it to find your passion in a career?
I am looking at colleges with a wide variety of majors in case I would like to change it once I am already there. I would love to try to find my passion in something earlier so I don't waste any time or money doing something I don't love.
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4 answers
T.J. Worthy
Mentor
202
Answers
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Updated
T.J.’s Answer
Hello Peyton!
From my personal experience, and from what I've seen from others...
It is indeed hard.
It feels hard, because you're under pressure - internally or externally - to have your whole life figured out, or to choose a single path & remain on that path until retirement.
Sure, some people have strong plans in mind for their life, but there's three things to keep in mind:
1. You will change and grow overtime, therefore your needs, wants, and passions will change as well.
2. You don't need to set your journey into stone, because career change happens often.
3. You don't need to base your career choice from passion alone.
It is great to want a job you're passionate about. Passion is important!
However: The way society (and individuals) define passion is vague, and the way that society pushes students to "find their singular passion & to work from passion" doesn't... work for everyone.
Works for some people. Definitely! But not everyone fits into that model.
You can find a career based on:
➜ Desired lifestyle goals.
➜ What your skilled at.
➜ What you're willing to learn.
➜ What tasks you enjoy doing, or don't mind doing (where you feel stable, or not burned out at the end of the day).
➜ A desire for flexibility or structure (Ex: remote work/independently, or office work/teams & groups).
The way I would define passion is:
➜ What makes you feel excited or that provides a sense of time flying by quickly; It doesn't feel "boring."
There is a way to find a career with more than 1 or 2 of these things. It depends on how good you are with balancing your time and priorities.
You may find a career that provides structure, uses skills you already have, and that you enjoy doing.
You may find a job that you like doing with your skills, and provides flexibility.
Consider everything from the list. Then, make a plan for a career based on your priorities.
If you can find a way to combine passion & money in a career - Awesome!
If you can find a way to make money, but get passion outside of work - Awesome!
Ultimately - You don't need to choose between passion and money.
Sending you support & encouragement with this :)
From my personal experience, and from what I've seen from others...
It is indeed hard.
It feels hard, because you're under pressure - internally or externally - to have your whole life figured out, or to choose a single path & remain on that path until retirement.
Sure, some people have strong plans in mind for their life, but there's three things to keep in mind:
1. You will change and grow overtime, therefore your needs, wants, and passions will change as well.
2. You don't need to set your journey into stone, because career change happens often.
3. You don't need to base your career choice from passion alone.
It is great to want a job you're passionate about. Passion is important!
However: The way society (and individuals) define passion is vague, and the way that society pushes students to "find their singular passion & to work from passion" doesn't... work for everyone.
Works for some people. Definitely! But not everyone fits into that model.
You can find a career based on:
➜ Desired lifestyle goals.
➜ What your skilled at.
➜ What you're willing to learn.
➜ What tasks you enjoy doing, or don't mind doing (where you feel stable, or not burned out at the end of the day).
➜ A desire for flexibility or structure (Ex: remote work/independently, or office work/teams & groups).
The way I would define passion is:
➜ What makes you feel excited or that provides a sense of time flying by quickly; It doesn't feel "boring."
There is a way to find a career with more than 1 or 2 of these things. It depends on how good you are with balancing your time and priorities.
You may find a career that provides structure, uses skills you already have, and that you enjoy doing.
You may find a job that you like doing with your skills, and provides flexibility.
Consider everything from the list. Then, make a plan for a career based on your priorities.
If you can find a way to combine passion & money in a career - Awesome!
If you can find a way to make money, but get passion outside of work - Awesome!
Ultimately - You don't need to choose between passion and money.
Sending you support & encouragement with this :)
Poonam Singh
Engineer
13
Answers
Ohio City, Ohio
Updated
Poonam’s Answer
Hey Peyton! 😊 That's such a cool question! From my own experience, I've learned that it's crucial to "fail fast" – you know, there's no point in spending precious hours on things that don't make you happy or help you grow personally or professionally. So, feel free to try new things and discover what you're passionate about!
Oh, and definitely reach out to people who know you well – like friends, family, teachers or mentors – and ask them what they think your strengths are. They can give you amazing insight!
To give you a bit of my own backstory, I studied engineering and once I began working, I realized I loved learning about leadership and management, especially when it came to leading projects. My boss suggested I look into an MBA to develop those skills further, and now I'm in my dream job! 🌟
Oh, and definitely reach out to people who know you well – like friends, family, teachers or mentors – and ask them what they think your strengths are. They can give you amazing insight!
To give you a bit of my own backstory, I studied engineering and once I began working, I realized I loved learning about leadership and management, especially when it came to leading projects. My boss suggested I look into an MBA to develop those skills further, and now I'm in my dream job! 🌟
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Peyton
You are very welcome!
Poonam Singh
Dino Ubalde
Educator/Psychologist/Life Coach
204
Answers
Tracy, California
Updated
Dino’s Answer
Hello Peyton, thanks for getting in touch with us! Your inquiry delves into the key to job satisfaction and joy. Allow me to share a bit about myself – my enthusiasm was sparked by my upbringing and life experiences. Passion stems from reflecting on the factors that have shaped your current position and envisioning where you'd like to be 5 to 10 years from now. Can you picture what you truly desire to become? It's always something close to your heart.
Passion is the feeling of happiness that comes from engaging in activities you adore, loving what you do, and doing what you love. Once you discover your life's purpose, passion becomes more readily available to your awareness. As someone who has navigated career choices and learned to find my passion, it's also crucial to gain insight into personal and interpersonal values, as these will present you with more opportunities and a clearer understanding of your purpose as an individual.
You're absolutely right in wanting to be intelligent and practically-minded, especially since attending college can be quite costly these days. It's a natural and wise choice to pursue a college degree that could guide you toward your passion, ultimately leading to happiness and fulfillment.
Passion is the feeling of happiness that comes from engaging in activities you adore, loving what you do, and doing what you love. Once you discover your life's purpose, passion becomes more readily available to your awareness. As someone who has navigated career choices and learned to find my passion, it's also crucial to gain insight into personal and interpersonal values, as these will present you with more opportunities and a clearer understanding of your purpose as an individual.
You're absolutely right in wanting to be intelligent and practically-minded, especially since attending college can be quite costly these days. It's a natural and wise choice to pursue a college degree that could guide you toward your passion, ultimately leading to happiness and fulfillment.
Cody DeNoyelles
Business Analyst
2
Answers
Sacramento, California
Updated
Cody’s Answer
Step 1: Research volunteer opportunities in your local area or online that align with your interests to gain hands-on experience in different fields.
Step 2: Make a list of your personal attributes and passions to better understand what careers might align with your strengths and interests.
Step 3: Reach out to friends, family members, or professionals in various fields to conduct informational interviews. Ask them about their career paths, experiences, and advice that might help you discover more about yourself and your potential career choices.
Step 4: Understand that changing your mind is a natural part of the process, and be open to learning and adapting as you gain more experience.
Step 5: Consider pursuing a business degree or healthcare-related degree, such as nursing or pharmacy, as these fields offer a wide range of potential careers and job opportunities in almost any location.
Step 6: Continuously evaluate your experiences and interests throughout your journey to zero in on the career path that best suits you.
Step 7: Stay proactive and remember that your career journey is an ongoing process. Remain resilient and open-minded as you explore new opportunities and learn from experiences. Good luck!
Step 2: Make a list of your personal attributes and passions to better understand what careers might align with your strengths and interests.
Step 3: Reach out to friends, family members, or professionals in various fields to conduct informational interviews. Ask them about their career paths, experiences, and advice that might help you discover more about yourself and your potential career choices.
Step 4: Understand that changing your mind is a natural part of the process, and be open to learning and adapting as you gain more experience.
Step 5: Consider pursuing a business degree or healthcare-related degree, such as nursing or pharmacy, as these fields offer a wide range of potential careers and job opportunities in almost any location.
Step 6: Continuously evaluate your experiences and interests throughout your journey to zero in on the career path that best suits you.
Step 7: Stay proactive and remember that your career journey is an ongoing process. Remain resilient and open-minded as you explore new opportunities and learn from experiences. Good luck!
Thank you for the advice, Cody.
Peyton