Discovering Your Passion: How to Align Your Career Goals with Your Interests
Before diving into the topic of aligning your career with your passions, it’s important to understand “passion” - an “intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction” (Merriam Webster’s Dictionary). When was the last time any of us felt an intense or overmastering feeling about our day job? When I think of passion for work, my mind immediately goes to creative endeavors and the arts - acting, singing, dancing, painting, writing. I don’t typically equate spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, or project work plans with passion. While I always enjoyed my work through a few different career iterations, my employment rarely invoked the kind of passion I imagine Michelangelo felt when he painted the great ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (or the passion I feel when I am writing, traveling or introducing people to the world of pilates.)
Nonetheless, when we are interviewing for jobs, our ability to demonstrate passion is a key driver to success. Employers want to hire workers who show passion and energy for the work. If you can’t exhibit that passion, you’ve likely been in the wrong career or are looking at the wrong opportunity. When we think of aligning our work with our passions, perhaps we are being unrealistic if we are looking for a grand passion that we can convert into a livelihood. After all, not all of us can produce an artistic masterpiece and make a living at it. So, we may need to adjust our thinking about work and passion. It’s more important to think about aligning our work with things that we feel strongly (or passionately) about or around activities that give us pleasure. Look for the intersection between your passion, your skills and career options. For example, if there is a political cause you feel strongly about, like women’s rights or immigration, maybe you should explore organizations that support these causes. If you love doing something like writing, perhaps you should explore careers that will use your writing skills; if you love tinkering with gadgets, maybe some form of computer programming or process improvement work would align with your interests. If you enjoy teaching others, some form of instruction or curriculum development might suit you.
If you find yourself at a loss determining what careers align with your passions, try the following:
Take some time for self-reflection and introspection
Talk to people who are passionate about their work
Volunteer in a field or function that interests and inspires you
Take some classes or workshops
Research different careers
Next, ask yourself these questions:
What are your interests?
What are your values?
What are your strengths, weaknesses and unique skills?
What are your goals?
What are your financial needs? (these may not always align with passion!)
What are the job market trends?
What are the educational and skill requirements of the jobs that interest you?
Once you have done some careful reflection about your interests, skills, abilities and financial requirements, you can get closer to identifying the right career path. Of course, you will likely have work to do before realizing your new dream. You may need to up-skill, and reeducate yourself. You will need to grow your network and reach out to others for help. After all, there will probably be a disconnect between your work experience and your new path so you may have to modify your resume. A good way to grow a resume is to volunteer to do work that will grow your CV. For example, help a start up business with sales, marketing, accounting, web design, blog-writing, or consulting - anything that you can add to your resume as prior “work,” that aligns with your passion and what you are pursuing. The most important step is to get over any fear you have about making a change. In the long run, your work life will be exponentially more satisfying when your work aligns with your passions. Abandon any trepidation you may feel. Carpe Diem! Seize the moment to improve your life and, in turn, the lives of those around you. Good luck!
Kim