For years, we've been hearing the same "do what you love" and "follow your passion" sayings, and these have become more prevalent for Generation-Y than they ever were before.
We're blessed that most of our generation has been given access to unlimited amounts of information, opening up the possibilities of today's world and its opportunities. We're lucky as hell we have these choices.
We don't want to do meaningless desk work for some large corporation like our parents did. We can barely keep a job for three months without getting bored. We seek fulfillment the corporate world can't provide. We want to create, build and put depth into our work and feel alive while doing it.
Our generation is seeking purpose over monetary value. That 9-to-5 rat race will leave you numb and only looking forward to the next happy hour, instead of the massive impact you could potentially have on the world.
I guarantee you, it's possible to have fun while working. There are plenty of people in the world who really enjoy what they do. I mean, some things won't make you the most money, but you might be happier. Who knows?
Your work will comprise a large percentage of your life, which means if you're miserable at work, you will inevitably have a miserable life. It's as simple as that, and you should remember that every day. Just think to yourself, "Do I want to hate my life?" Absolutely not.
Collectively, we subconsciously want to make impactful contributions to society. It's instilled in us to want to do this. Everyone has a desire to make a positive change, but what I see so often are the same themes that keep people from truly discovering what they love to do.
You're not going to wake up one morning and suddenly have your whole life figured out. No one does. Don't think about it that way. Truth is, we're all lost creatures trying to find our way through the world.
We're all seeking acceptance and belonging and trying to find where to fit in best along with what makes us the most happy. Not even the most successful and praised individuals in the world have all the answers. I promise.
I have so many friends who were blinded by the remarkable business they called "college" and have been spit out of the cycle with a meaningless piece of paper. It's terrifying for them to admit it was a waste of time. With the same tuition money, you could have traveled the entire world and experienced new cultures and types of people and tried as many new things as possible.
The most value I see in college is solely around the people you meet and the experiences you create there — which actually may lead you to what you love to do — rather than the antiquated curriculum.
Most of my friends were expecting this piece of paper to determine their careers and create a set path, and they didn't realize they had to put forth a substantial amount of effort in order to actually figure out what they wanted in life.
The structure of college allows you not to think. Your advisor creates your schedule, chooses from a preset list of courses and takes away the pressure of you having to figure it out on your own, but you need to think about what you want at the end of the day.
Make your own decisions. No one can decide that for you. Listen to your gut. You always know more than you think you do.
After talking to a ton of people about this subject in particular, these appear to be the most common reasons people never find something they're passionate about:
1. Fear Of Failure
We have so much to lose. We can't fail. Everything is on the line. I'll look like an idiot. But that's bullshit. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Be yourself and if you ever hit rock bottom, I'm sure you'll get back up and do it all over again. Most of the time, we worry so much about the worst that can happen. In reality, things usually work out somehow. They always do. Just take a positive outlook on life and it'll happen.
If it doesn't work once or twice or three times, who cares? You only have to get it right once.
2. The Rat Race
Societal pressure keeps you complacent. Friends, family and all the Facebook friends you don't care about are a big reason why you're not doing cool stuff. You're terrified of being judged. I've been there, and I get it.
Once you let go of the notion that anybody actually cares about you, it's a million times easier to do whatever you want. Everyone is busy, and no one is waking up in the morning thinking about what you're doing in life. They have their own lives to worry about.
No one has a perfect life, and everyone in the world is dealing with something. Most of the time, people only hear about the impressive stuff anyway.
3. Lack Of Curiosity
Try new things, new classes and ask a million questions that lead you on incredibly weird and unexpected journeys. The best things in life never make sense when they happen.
In retrospect, so many decisions I've made were based on a gut feeling and looked insane on the outside but had the most awesome outcomes. Be open to new experiences and let yourself be vulnerable. Say yes to everything for 30 days, and let me know how that goes.
If it sounds stupid, do it. If it sounds crazy, even better. Hop on that flight you always wanted to go on. Go by yourself. Question everything.
4. Fear Of Change
You're comfortable. You have the perfect setup. You have everything planned out except the part that plans never go as planned.
Change is going to happen. You can't do anything about it, but you can embrace it. Get excited for change. New chapters in your life can lead you to some incredible places.
You'll be surprised by all the awesome stuff that can happen by just switching things up once and a while. If you live minimally and have barely any tangible belongings, this part becomes a whole lot easier. Get rid of the stuff you have lying around. You won't think twice about simply picking up everything and moving to a new city tomorrow.
Do things differently than everyone else. As cliched as it sounds, "get out of your comfort zone."
5. Not Dreaming Big Enough
We live in a world where Donald Trump has the chance of becoming president and our society is running around catching Pokémon. There are literally no boundaries to what can and can't be done in this world.
Dream about changing something. Imagine how much better life could be if you did. Creativity best happens when you're alone, so I recommend spending a lot of time alone thinking about the future and how you can somehow be a part of making it better.
The good news is, it's never too late to do whatever it is you want to do.
