One common piece of advice you might hear when looking for jobs is to “follow your passion.” Following the work, ideas and projects that make you feel fulfilled and motivated can help lead you to jobs you will enjoy and succeed in. While the idea is simple, it can be difficult to define and follow what exactly you are passionate about.
Finding your passion is an ongoing, sometimes lifelong journey. It takes many moments of thoughtful self-reflection, attention and action to find the topics, tasks and industries that make you feel excited. Although the ideas and motivations vary significantly from person to person, in this article you can explore the ways you can integrate your passions into your life and career.
Why is finding my passion valuable?
In an Indeed survey, 60% of employers said that they believe a lack of passion for the work is a reason some employees don’t perform well in their roles ?. That same survey showed that 76% of employers don’t believe that passion can be learned, meaning that it’s important to take into consideration what you’re passionate about when thinking about your long-term career.
Some people choose to pursue their passions during their free time outside of work, while others prefer to dedicate their day-to-day work life to their passions. The choice you make will depend on what your passion is, whether or not it is easily transferred into sustainable living and whether or not you want your paycheck to be tied to your passion. That being said, Indeed Hiring Lab recently found that today’s college graduates prioritize passion over pay.
When you’re passionate about what you do, work can be less of a chore and more of a piece to a fulfilling life.