Unpacking Misconceptions Around Passion: 3 Tips To Fueling Your Dreams
By Jody Bell
At about 15 or 16 I began hearing the word “passion” thrown at me from every direction.
I recall sitting in my guidance counselor’s office, looking at possible colleges and the majors that they offered and being asked repeatedly about what my “passion” was. My mind immediately cut to the hours I spend painting each weekend – when my hands would move on their own accord and I wouldn’t notice the sun was setting until it was pitch dark outside. Or the protests that I attended that felt like they ignited a fire in me as I represented a cause I truly believed in. Even the hours I spent looking at stars and researching which planets twinkled above my Suburban backyard was a passion of mine.
As I sat there with my guidance counselor, my heart was beating with the singularity and the depth of the word “passion.” I couldn’t imagine a life in which I had to follow just one of my passions, yet, I felt I was being pushed into choosing the most “practical” passion and ignoring the rest.
Unfortunately, this concept of finding a singular passion and turning that into a lucrative career is something that many college-bound students face. In the past few years I’ve learned that the pressure put on college-bound-students to find “their passion” has led to many misconceptions surrounding what passion is, and how to capitalize on these passions as a young person.
Here are my top 3 tips on how to develop and follow your passions in a manner that is beneficial to both yourself and your career.
1. Understand that passions aren’t born out of thin air – they are created
Even the phrase “find your passion” implies that this passion is buried deep within yourself and you must simply uncover it. Truthfully, it isn’t quite that simple.
A passion is born out of an interest, and is developed with time to create a passion. While you may naturally have an interest in a certain hobby or subject, you must devote the time needed to truly grow to love that interest. Thus, when you are asked about discovering your passion, know that this takes genuine time and effort to convert an interest into a passion.
If you have an interest in something, we recommend you truly attempt to learn more about this area and see if there is an underlying passion fueling this interest.
2. Developing a passion isn’t always linear nor “enjoyable”
This process of devoting time into an interest to foster a passion can be difficult – it may even look like long nights studying or monotonous practice.
I was never a natural artist – I simply loved creating and found the process therapeutic during times of stress. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I began to truly put effort into improving and challenging myself. By actively nurturing this interest I had to paint in a different and foreign way; I was forcing myself out of my comfort zone, and truthfully that was uncomfortable. I didn’t naturally enjoy this aspect of art, however, I knew that I was developing a passion because I remained motivated throughout this difficult process.
I promise once you enter college you are going to have plenty of nights in the library where you would much rather be in bed snoozing. Ensuring that you are genuinely interested in these subjects makes a major difference on if you remain motivated enough to stay diligent with your studying and efforts to convert this interest into a passion.
3. Your passions don’t always have to be “practical” – just the process of learning how to hone a interest into a passion has value
Personally, I ignored each and every passion that couldn’t contribute to my career simply because I believed it was impractical to put effort into these areas.
Once you begin interviewing for internships, jobs, or college, you’ll soon learn the incredible value in being able to have the discipline needed to truly fuel your passions. Whether that was a 5am wake-up for your sport, long nights working on a science project, or practicing even when you feel discouraged – fueling your passion is what builds a strong work ethic. Not to mention, focusing all of your effort into one singular passion results in major burnout which could hinder how well you perform in your classes and professional endeavors.
After you enter college you will have much more freedom within the classes you take each semester. A great way of ensuring you are fueling multiple interests is through taking at least one class a semester that you are taking purely for the fun of it. Oftentimes you can work this out with your academic advisor to ensure the course fulfills a general education requirement and contributes to the required number of credit hours for graduation.
If there is a single concept that you take away from this, just know that your definition and experience of “passion” is completely personal. Passions are hobbies that truly bring you joy – and if you can incorporate that into your career then all the power to you! However, just ensure you don’t lose sight of these passions during the pursuit of your career because at the end of the day it is passion that makes life worth living.
If you want to chat about your passions, have an idea about an article, or just want to reach out with a question/comment, feel free to shoot me an email at jody.bell@girlswithimpact.com – I would love to hear from you!
Jody Bell, 20 is Girls With Impact’s Chief Editor and a program graduate from Greenwich High School. Girls With Impact is the nation’s only online, business and leadership program for girls 14-24, turning them into tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.