Already a member?
Welcome to Brazen Careerist!
Kayla Gregory is using Brazen Careerist to share ideas. Join now to become a member and start networking with Kayla Gregory and other professionals just like you. Learn more.
Kayla Gregory is using Brazen Careerist to share ideas. Join now to become a member and start networking with Kayla Gregory and other professionals just like you. Learn more.
A couple weeks ago, my boss gave our “team” a presentation about her job. We all work for her, but none of us really understand what it is she does on a daily basis. She’s a fundraiser, and my perception of that ended on the most basic level — she asks people for money. Hearing her talk about it, though, made me realize that not only is it more than that, it’s more fulfilling to her than anything in my life is right now.
I told her afterward that I was kind of jealous — I wish I loved my job that much. Then I realized I had just told my boss that I didn’t love my job. Oops.
I think she understood, though, that it’s not that I don’t love my job, it’s that I’m still searching for something to light me up like that.
On the weekends, I usually babysit. I have two regular families, both with great marriages and great kids. One lives in a neighborhood that, every time I drive to it, I think, “Someday… I’m going to have a nice house like this and a family to put in it.” The other family seems so incredibly perfect that they’ve not only renewed my faith in marriage (my family doesn’t have a good track record), but I actually look forward to giving up my Friday and Saturday nights to let them go on dates.
My perception is that passion comes in one of these three avenues — work, love, or family. I suppose you could also find passion in a hobby or volunteer work, but I don’t have time for either of those at the moment.
Anytime I sit down to think about it, though, I also wonder if it’s something I should really be searching for. Isn’t it something that could just happen to me?
Maybe it’s something I’m searching for because without it, I’m just going through the motions. Work, school, love, family — they’re all exercises in formalities. I can’t remember the last time I got really excited about any of these things.
Well, I got pretty excited last night when I had a glass of wine with my spaghetti dinner. But that’s nothing to build a life around.
Whether or not it’s something I should be searching for, I think I’m going to keep looking. Having spent over a year in my current situation, I’m starting to see how easy it could be to settle for this and keep going through these motions.
Because at 24, I have no business settling for anything.
Kayla,
Good plan. Don't settle for anything right now. But also remember that sometimes you just discover your passions naturally. Don't look too hard or you will just get frustrated.
You shouldn't settle. I felt the same way a few years ago. But I have just kind of stumbled upon what I am passionate about (public health). I don't know if you can go intentional find your passions in life. I think you just have to leave yourself open to new experiences so you can find them.
Don't worry about settling. It's fine to look for what makes you passionate, and we all find it at different times in our life. And it's okay to like your job, and even love your job, but not be passionate about it. The only problem is if your job makes you unhappy, and it doesn't sound like that's the case with you.
As I look at it, my first sentence looks a little funny. What I mean is, don't worry about settling now. At 24, there's lots of time to figure out what you want to do. There's often lots of time when you're older than 24, too. If you're figuring out what that is, you're not settling.
I have pondered this very exact thing time and time again. I am only 23 and already sometimes I feel like I'm settling because I am not passionate about my job. I love my job and I think I'm lucky to be where I'm at, however I do not feel "passionate" by any means about what I do.
This is something I think many people never find and so what you said about it being in either work, love, or family is very true. I have decided I am not going to give up on finding something, anything, to be passionate about and if its my job then that's great. However I have recently began exploring new hobbies (and no, I do not really have time for them) but nonetheless, I have started training for a triathlon and I joined a local Toastmasters club. Both of which have lighted some passion under my butt for the first time in quite awhile.
I don't want a husband or kids yet, so I'm waiting on that part. But these two new things in my life, really are making me excited to get up in the morning. I have goals and it feels great.
So, I suggest to everyone - if at our young age we can not find a perfect dream job that we are passionate about, we shouldn't give up on that ideal, but we can find something to be enthusiastic for and therefore I think searching is a good idea.
Because at 23, I have no business settling for anything. :)
maybe the wine and pasta and your families are the start, start making the best wine,try numerous sauces and savor the families and why they appeal to you. i get down about the few things in my life, then i think at least i have something that i like,, which motivates me to explore my interests even more...focus and throw disposable $$$ and time into them and enjoy the ride...your job makes u the cash to keep on...good luck..momo something else might then turn u in another direction...have a great day!
Email
Print
.thumbnail.jpg "Implementation")
