You may have experienced the cultural pressure to find your “passion” or calling in life. When you see teenage celebrities with millions of followers, you may think, “what am I doing with my life?” Maybe you have read books like “Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren, which talk about our calling as Christians but don’t provide the direction you need. On the contrary, maybe you have heard the message of “.”

Many people in America experience a “passion gap” in the workforce. A found that 87.7 percent of Americans lack passion in their work and are therefore unable to contribute top-level performance.

The problem with terms like “passion” and “calling” is the singular nature of the words. This can create the idea that if you don’t find your passion or calling, then you have failed. So what should you do?

Reframing Passion

Instead of trying to find your one passion or calling, start by considering the interests God has placed on your heart. What do you enjoy doing in you free time? What skills come naturally to you? What are you curious about?

After you have identified your interests, consider what career fields integrate those interests. If you need help with this, check out , a tool that will help you link your interests to possible career fields. Sign up using the code “51-enroll17”. You may find opportunities in fields you may have never considered.

Is there anyone you admire for what they are doing? Schedule a time to meet with them, or reach out to them on LinkedIn. Ask them about their career journey and how they ended up in their field or position. You may be surprised to find their journey was not what they expected at all! Take a look at 51 professor Susan Lim’s story.

Meaningful Work

Professor Arianna Molloy challenged students in an to become aware how God is constantly cultivating a sense of calling within us. You may not have a single “passion moment” that redefines your life, but know that God is guiding you through every season and experience and has uniquely gifted you to build his Kingdom. Your passions, interests, and calling all serve to give God glory, and even in the mundane moments, you can still worship God in your current circumstances.

Below are a number of tools to help you, including Passion Planners.

What is a Passion Planner, you ask?

A Passion Planner is the one place for all your thoughts. It's more than just a planner—it's a tool that helps you break down your short and long-term goals and incorporate them into your daily life. It has been designed to encourage you to plan for the future, reflect on the past, but most importantly, act on the present. - passionplanner.com ()

Passion planner with roadmap of how to make a passion plan

 

“Passion Planner helps me get my life in order. It's taught me how to set goals for both school and personal life and actually make them happen.” - Anna Warner, senior journalism major 

Consider using tools like these to help guide your thought process. You can always schedule an appointment with the Career Center if you need additional help.

The Career Center is committed to helping you in your career journey. Below you will find additional resources to help you along the way.

Resources: