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Have you felt pressure from family, friends, or teachers to find your life passion? Do you feel like you’re trying to catch up, while others have already found what they want to do? A recent article in the New York Times describes how graduates struggle with this issue. By having the self-confidence to be open to learning and change, the author argues, it’s possible to find your passion.
Needing To Find “The One”
In today’s work world, it can seem as if new graduates are expected to immediately know what they want to do with their lives. As with dating, there’s a pervasive mythology that you’ll recognize “The One” when it comes into your life. But life isn’t so simple. As it is with finding a life partner, discovering your life passion can take a lot of trial-and-error. This means it’s important to have the self-confidence to get through what doesn’t work, to find something that does.
Being Patient With Finding Your Life Passion
In addition to self-confidence, finding your life passion often requires patience. People often put too much pressure on themselves to find their passion early in life. Some people know what they want to do from the time they’re children. But, for the vast majority of us, finding our passion in life is a work in progress. If we become overly focused on finding that elusive passion, we may overlook opportunities to discover who we are in the things we’re doing right now.Maybe the job you have right now isn’t ideal. Even so, you still have the opportunity to learn new things and grow. You are also learning about yourself and what you do and don’t like. It’s not uncommon for graduates to get their first job in their chosen field of study, only to find that the work isn’t for them.Discovering that what you loved to study isn’t what you love to do isn’t a sign of personal failure. Paying attention to what you like and didn’t like about the work can point you in the direction of doing something that is more meaningful to you.
Finding Your Passion Through Serving Others
The most important aspect of finding your passion in life and, unfortunately, the one that is most often overlooked, is that you are much more likely to find your passion if you ask yourself what kind of contribution you would like to make to other people and the world. Once again, there is a parallel between finding your life passion and finding your life partner.When a relationship is new and exciting, the passion people feel for each other is the main thing that makes the relationship feel meaningful. Over the long haul, however, long term relationships survive and grow because people want their partners to feel loved and cared for. Feeling that the work you are doing is making a positive difference in the lives of others is one of the main ingredients in knowing that you’ve found your life passion.
Asking For Help To Find Your Passion
Just as with dating, sometimes we need a little help to find what we love. If you feel that you’ve been patient and that you’ve been open to the possibilities that have come your way and you’re still struggling with finding something that matters to you, you may want to consider psychotherapy. Talking with a therapist can help you understand what’s getting in your way and give you the confidence to move forward.Click to learn more about finding your life path with Jane Rubin, Ph.D.