Author Topic: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?  (Read 9511 times)

HP

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Kind of a question for people who grew up in the real world.

First, for perspective, the Life Saga:

Spent my teenaged years isolated from general society in a semi-cultic religious mindset where the wimminfolk just get married early and have babes every two years until menopause and got educated at home with that goal in mind (i.e. not much meaningful education, though this was mostly my fault and not as much my parent's). Didn't have any close friends, which is probably just as well at that point in time.

Then in my late teens I started to extricate myself from the mindset and went to college (hello anxiety-inducing culture shock) for a stupid non-intensive now outdated degree, that, aside from being the catalyst to get me OUT, was kind of a waste of money. (But no debt, at least.)

Fast forward several years, during which I've been coasting along financially, caretaking for some family members, working through and discarding a lot of the baggage, and now I'm anxious to move on from extreme introspection and accomplish something with my life.

And here's the question: How am I supposed to do that? Which direction do I go? I don't know what interests me. I don't know how to discover that. I am still unfamiliar with much of my surrounding society and how things are supposed to work. Like I don't know what resources I could tap into because I just... don't know stuff like that. I feel like I should go back to college or something, but... for what? I'd rather not spend lots of time and money flailing around trying to find direction through school. I'd like to have a "real job" but don't have much in the way of skills. So obviously I should develop some skills, but what skills? I'm supposed to put myself out there somehow, right? ... How does one do that? I don't know the line between "attractive to potential employers" and "off-putting, no social skills". And I'm not involved in any particular social circles (still no friends, no hobbies, etc.) so I don't really have a context or network within which I should market myself.

ruthiegirl

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2014, 01:19:39 PM »
Let me first say that you are a damn rock star for making such a dramatic shift in your life and setting out on your own.  Congratulations.

Secondly, you are young.  What your feeling right now…that insecure "what should I do with my life" feeling?  It is completely and totally normal.  Even if you had the most contemporary childhood, you would probably still be questioning your future.  It is what young people do.  I would go so far that it is what makes young people so fabulous and exciting. 

So, if I had you over for dinner and asked you what you do with your days, what would you say?  If you went to the library, what books would you bring home?  What did you study in college?  There was something there that you liked.  What was it? 

And yes, you have skills.  You haven't developed them yet.

And I would love to say this so all young people…you will develop skills on the job.  So, get a job.  Any job, but start working.  Learn something, talk to people, get bored enough that you want a new job and go get one of those.  Develop who you are by trying new things. 

When I started out I washed dishes at a  sushi bar, I sold cut flowers at the open air market, I waited tables, I cleaned houses, I tended bar.  After college, I worked in labs and it was only after a shitload of trying new stuff that I landed as an engineer and had a decent career. 

You sound brave and a little lost.  If I could, I would look over your resume with you and then encourage you to send it out to 50 different places.  Ask people for work.  It is hard and you will get turned down, but keep asking. 

And chin up, you can do this.

Franklin

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2014, 01:44:58 PM »
HP,
I totally agree with ruthiegirl.

Also, I can tell from your post that you are self-aware, direct, and willing to learn.  So you already have the tools for getting started.  I am hoping that there is also a little patience in there.  You are going to be fine.

Here is my real world DATED story.  Please adjust for modernization.  I pumped gas as a teenager when there was mostly full service gas stations with nozzles that could not be locked on.  So I had to stand there and hold the pump, many times with the customer standing next to me waiting to pay.  So to pass the time I asked them what they did for a living.  I could not believe how many jobs there were in the world.  I ended up getting my first technical job from one of those conversations.  Thirty years later I'm a CIO with no college degree.  I left out the hustle part, but hopefully you get the picture.

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2014, 01:48:22 PM »
I realize that you are probably approaching thirty by now, but what about resources aimed at college gap year people? The resources I am familiar with are biased toward my own interests and community, but here goes:

WWOOFing to travel(http://www.wwoof.net/)
Americorps internships (the pay is awful, and may not be enough to live on though).
Running away and spending two weeks to a season on a tall ship (http://historicalseaport.org/our-programs/2-weeks-before-the-mast/).
Getting a job doing crappy work in an interesting place (http://www.yosemitepark.com/aboutus_employment.aspx, http://www.usap.gov/jobsAndOpportunities/).
SCA internships  (https://www.thesca.org/)
Dabbling in random community college classes while working part time.


« Last Edit: December 01, 2014, 02:01:54 PM by learning »

GizmoTX

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2014, 02:01:11 PM »
See if you can find this book in your local library: "So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love".
Abstract: "In this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice.  Not only is the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping.
After making his case against passion, Newport sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving what they do. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers.
Matching your job to a preexisting passion does not matter, he reveals. Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before.
In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it.
With a title taken from the comedian Steve Martin, who once said his advice for aspiring entertainers was to "be so good they can't ignore you," Cal Newport's clearly written manifesto is mandatory reading for anyone fretting about what to do with their life, or frustrated by their current job situation and eager to find a fresh new way to take control of their livelihood. He provides an evidence-based blueprint for creating work you love."

A career these days is about reinventing yourself every 10 years or so. I was interested in engineering, but in the '60s women didn't do that. Like you, I went to a Big U to escape my small town & upbringing. I graduated, but with a degree that's not even being offered today. After a year or so working in retail clothing distribution (JC Penney), I decided I really wanted to learn programming & searched for a company that would train me on the job; computer science in colleges didn't exist then. I discovered I am really good at it & absolutely loved it. From there I've been a systems analyst, run my own applications software company, sold computer systems to businesses, & then retired when our son was born. Every career step depended upon the last, & I loved every minute of it. I still work with computers but for my own amusement. I'm not suggesting that you do what I did, but as a previous poster suggested, try something that uses what interests you now or in the past. You don't necessarily have to go to university again. If I were starting today, I'd still teach myself coding while going to community college to get some certifications in Mac & Microsoft.

Cococola

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2014, 02:13:40 PM »
You are lucky enough to be at the Internet age, join a meet up group, or start your own. Anything you don't know, jut google it.

Go to library, ask SCORE organization to get you a mentor if you want to start your business, try new things, ask people - most people is actually willing to help you especially willing to help people who are motivated to better themselves.

If you have a specific question, you can ask at this forum, take up the offer to show the person your resume. If you wish, mention which city you live, maybe you can get a mentor within our forum.

Best luck!
« Last Edit: December 01, 2014, 02:22:00 PM by Cococola »

pzxc

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2014, 02:20:13 PM »
Subscribing to this thread, I love the ideas so far and want to see more.

I'm a software engineer and programming has been the love of my life since...  well since I was about 8 years old (no joke).  So I have never had any problems figuring out my "calling" in life.  It's what I would do even if they didn't pay me, yet they pay me pretty well soooo.... I can't imagine doing anything else.

However, my SO is in this boat.  A few years younger than me and doesn't know what to do in life.  Tried exploring it together a bit but nothing conclusive came out.  I even asked, "When you were a kid and they asked what you wanted to be when you grow up?"

The answer given:  "A tourist."  LOL

Mesmoiselle

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2014, 02:39:51 PM »
Get a job any job?

Volunteer in spare time. Hospitals and Habitat for humanity. And strike up conversations anyway those people do as you volunteer/work along side them.

HP

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2014, 03:05:36 PM »
Thanks for the encouragement and suggestions, guys.

So, if I had you over for dinner and asked you what you do with your days, what would you say?  If you went to the library, what books would you bring home?  What did you study in college?  There was something there that you liked.  What was it? 

Haha, first I would panic, say I do "nothing" and then mentally kick myself over how lame and conversation-ending of a response that is. And then I'd go home and think of all the things I wish I had said, which would probably be something like "I do housekeeping and childcare. In my spare time I alternate between vegging out watching television (because exhausted and braindead) and educating myself on a variety of subjects based on what I'm currently interested in. Are you familiar with ancient methods of telling time?"

Because of my sub-par formal education, the first category of things I educate myself on is partially curiosity, but also more of an attempt to fill in the gaps. For example, the most recent subject was basic astronomy (which I plan to come back to later), I'm currently reading about basic geology, future subjects will be things like anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, botany, and advanced maths. Also technology-- I feel like knowing some basics like "how do computers work" (Obviously I know how to use one, I mean, how does it actually work) and some basic programming/design is the sort of information will prove useful at some point. And then the second category is other, less critical things, that are harder to find time for despite my slightly more genuine interest in them-- writing, philosophy, foreign languages, photography, and gardening. Third category is stuff that probably would never have occurred to me to learn about, except life circumstances. Stuff like nutrition and child development (because I care for children).

College was a two year degree that was designed to educate people for low-level office work (it's really debatable about whether the course was actually accomplishing that imo). I learned the Microsoft Suite, took some beginning business classes, and did Spanish for all of my electives. I guess it's been... five years? I haven't used any of it since so have forgotten most of what I learned. What attracted me to that particular "degree" was the minimal math requirements and the brevity of the program (I was really burnt out on formal education at the time). (I am less scared of math now.)

HP

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2014, 03:19:25 PM »
Subscribing to this thread, I love the ideas so far and want to see more.

I'm a software engineer and programming has been the love of my life since...  well since I was about 8 years old (no joke).  So I have never had any problems figuring out my "calling" in life.  It's what I would do even if they didn't pay me, yet they pay me pretty well soooo.... I can't imagine doing anything else.

However, my SO is in this boat.  A few years younger than me and doesn't know what to do in life.  Tried exploring it together a bit but nothing conclusive came out.  I even asked, "When you were a kid and they asked what you wanted to be when you grow up?"

The answer given:  "A tourist."  LOL

Yeah, one of my siblings knew what he wanted to do from a young age and went out and did it, and could be financially independent and retired by the time he was 30, if he cared to be. Similar job as yours. I'm kind of envious of that ability to focus and pursue.

When I was a kid, it varied from day to day, slowly morphing into "well, I'm just going to be a wife and mother, duh." >_<

Westoftown

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2014, 03:50:11 PM »
I do think its important to do something that you enjoy or at least don't despise.  So, think about this.   If you didnt have to go to work, and had plenty of money - what would you spend your time doing each day?

Take your answers and try to think of ways to turn that into a career.  May not work, but it might lead you in the right direction.  Work is so much different today, with a variety of options that werent around 20 years ago.

Good luck!

Sid Hoffman

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2014, 03:52:25 PM »
So do you live near Provo or Mesa?  *wink*  Nah, just kidding.  Unless I'm right, in which case I'll laugh with you about it.

I love the replies so far, they are so good that it gives me reply anxiety about throwing my two cents in.  I'm not a girl, but I had a similar struggle when I was young.  I was never very good at school though, so I barely even graduated high school and just coasted through the year after that working at the same lame retail job I had while I was in high school for not much more than minimum wage.

To the people who said "Just start working and go from there" I have some agreement, since that's ultimately what worked for me.  I got some certifications while at my retail job in a field close to my job and used that to get hired in an entry level position at a big company doing an office job.  Still not great money, but it got me in the door.  From there I just keep seeking to do the best job I possibly could and always working up to the next more difficult position, so long as the next job paid more.

After about 15 years and 4 different companies I am finally in a job where I am very challenged every day and honestly don't feel that I have the skills to do anything harder than what I already do.  In fact I'm in the odd position of feeling that I likely wouldn't have the energy to even do this job much past age 55 or so.  Hence, planning for saving up and financial independence looks great to me.  Even if I keep working past 50 or 55, I'd like to be financially secure enough to do whatever I want to rather than feeling trapped into a specific job due to no savings and poor lifestyle choices.

Still, just jumping in and seeing how it goes is great advice.  My ex wife skipped around between a number of different jobs after she left me.  I think she worked for 4 different companies in her first 6 months of working before settling in at one that she meshed well with and paid her what she felt was a fair wage.  She managed that after not working for 6 years and also having no college degree or anything, although she did have some work history from before we were married.

Another thing to consider is that your work life might complement the rest of your life well, or it might not.  Don't be afraid to take a job that is satisfactory but that doesn't do a whole lot for your personality.  You are not your job.  Don't get too wrapped up in thinking that your identity revolves around what you do, regardless of the fact society says otherwise.  Even in news reports you see it where they'll list someone's name followed by their profession as a way of giving them identity.  It appears you are suffering from some lost identity now that "Mother & wife" is not part of your immediate identity, but I would still encourage you to seek other ways to help others and solidify your identity as YOU rather than seeing your identity as your efforts & occupation.

HP

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #12 on: December 01, 2014, 04:13:12 PM »
So do you live near Provo or Mesa?  *wink*  Nah, just kidding.  Unless I'm right, in which case I'll laugh with you about it.

Hardy har har. More like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vision_Forum
http://aboverubies.org/
http://nogreaterjoy.org/

Future Lazy

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #13 on: December 01, 2014, 04:24:01 PM »
Sorry, HP, I don't have a lot of great advice for you, since I and my DH are also still in that youthy "What are we doing with our lives?!" situation...

I did just want to also thank everyone who has responded to this thread for their resources and insight, this advice is solid and helpful. The DH and I are currently doing the "jump in and work" type deal, described by Sid. Four years into that, out of high school, and so far that's rocketed me well above minimum wage for a zero skillset starter, and my DH just scored a bunch of interviews with labor type companies and marketing type companies that might bring him well above min wages too. Don't be afraid to try for anything that might give you an advantage or teach you something interesting and new. Don't be afraid to apply for things you might not think you're qualified for; showing up is half the battle.

HP, I also want to echo some of the other stuff said above. The precarious feeling of not knowing what your direction is seems to just be part of being 20-30 years old, and all you can really do is just pick a direction and head it in, learn as much as you can and make the most of what you know. I think everything else is just supposed to fall into place? :) Right, older mustachians?

Good luck!

Good luck!

peachfuzz1

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2014, 05:41:07 PM »
This is a quote from Nietzsche's Schopenhaur as Educator.  A quote I have found helpful for my own asking of the very same question.

“Let the youthful soul look back on life with the question: what have you truly loved up to now, what has elevated your soul, what has mastered it and at the same time delighted it? Place these venerated objects before you in a row, and perhaps they will yield for you, through their nature and their sequence, a law, the fundamental law of your true self. Compare these objects, see how one complements, expands, surpasses, transfigures another, how they form a stepladder upon which you have climbed up to yourself as you are now; for your true nature lies, not hidden deep within you, but immeasurably high above you, or at least above that which you normally take to be yourself”

Exhale

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2014, 06:10:16 PM »
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

+1

Career/job path resources:
- A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink
- TED Talk on body language by Amy Cuddy = http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

Learning resources:
The History of US by Joy Hakim - very readable and informative (targets younger folks, but content is excellent)
Homeschool resources (free maps, free math worksheets, etc.) = http://theprudenthomemaker.com/homeschool
Khan Academy = https://www.khanacademy.org/

Another approach:
1) Ask yourself what you would do if you didn't have to earn money (and there were no TV/movies/computers available to use up your time).
2) Go do it - as a volunteer or paid
3) Find out everything you can about it (including asking folks there how they got into it, if they were starting out now what would they do, etc.)
4) If you love it, cultivate mentors and find out how to make yourself indispensable to the organization and/or field
5) If you don't love it, find the next thing you'd do if you didn't have to earn money and repeat steps 2-4.
6) Important: Keep a list of your professional contacts. Even if you didn't love that job/field, these contacts will be a great resource for you over the years (also, they often want to hear how you're doing, what you're doing, etc.). You don't have to stay in touch with every single person, but do stay connected to the folks with whom you clicked and/or were especially helpful

Above all, hang in there and take it step-by-step. It's okay to feel a bit lost. Just keep taking the next best step - it'll gradually add up. You can do this!


MDM

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #16 on: December 01, 2014, 06:54:21 PM »
A long time ago, in a high school far far away, I took the "Kuder Vocational Aptitude Test".  It was long enough ago that one answered by using a metal punch to make holes in paper.  It did, however, point me in a direction that worked out well.

Seems that company is still around, although I assume the testing mechanics have changed.  See http://www.kuder.com/.  No idea of the cost now (it was free to me as part of high school counseling), nor how the company rates among others providing similar services.  But you might find it worthwhile....

socaso

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #17 on: December 01, 2014, 09:53:47 PM »
Another test you can take is the Myers Briggs personality test. I found it helpful. http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

HP

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2014, 06:53:56 PM »
I've been looking through everyone's suggestions and doing some research on them. Hospital volunteering looks likely, come February. :D Putting the WWOOF thing on my bucket list because it sounds totally cool but I'm not very mobile right now.

A sibling is becoming independent right now, so more suggestions of specific things to do to expand one's worldview that I can pass on are still welcome. Things that aren't, you know, strict baptist Bible college, stuck in chapel three times a day, things. >_<


Another test you can take is the Myers Briggs personality test. I found it helpful. http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

I've never thought of it as a career guidance test as much as a interpersonal relations/personality test.

mozar

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2014, 08:31:56 PM »
Supposedly Myers Brigg can help with jobs too. For example if you are introverted and thus quiet, you would be better at accounting. Well that was what I decided to do. I later found out that accounting can be very team oriented and have to do lots of meetings, planned and impromtu.

Really the best thing to do is talk to people who have jobs that sound interesting and/or read forums for particular jobs. What's more important is enjoying your day to day. I have no passion for accounting, but I enjoy the day to day puzzling things out that I have to do. I have to do a lot of thinking at work.

I don't think that things ever just "fall into place" but as you get older you start to accept what you can and can't do.
What color is your parachute and ramit sethi helped me a lot.

Mesmoiselle

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #20 on: December 02, 2014, 08:43:25 PM »
From 9-18 years old, I wanted to be a veterinarian. No doubts. I didn't veer once. The "what you should do" job tests I took told me I should be a park caretaker or some such, and I always shook my head at that suggestion.I wanted to help animals, not herd wild animals in a forest for people to shoot, or count fish in a pond. I think what is was picking up on was that I like to work alone. Anyhow, I just don't put much stock in such a test.

Part of being a veterinarian was accepting I wasn't going to make a crazy amount of money st it. A lot of school with an average graduation income of 40-50k. So first I made sure I didn't make minimum wage by being a CNA. I'm then, circumstances came my way to train to become an X-Ray tech. Even then, I still wanted to be a Vet. But somewhere in the 6 months into school I reflected. I liked what I was learning. And a clinical rotation in my senior year had me shadow a Vet's office. And I realized most vets heal as well as kill animals for people. And I didn't want to do the killing part. And I liked school.so I gave up on the Vet plan. And have wondered what my passion has been ever since. But I made sure I had a comfortable living while wondering.

I eventually decided, 2 years into x Ray, that all I wanted from work was not to hate any part of it and to like some of it. That it was okay not have a passion,because work was just there to FUND LIFE, not BE life. So long as it met those two criteria (don't hate job,make solid money) I didn't care what I did.

Now my focus is FI, so that I can have even more freedom regarding not working Jobs I hate.

I guess what I'm saying is that your don't have to simply tread water in Struggleville while you find your passion. You can still make good strides forward as you learn about yourself.

I've found that, working part time, I really enjoy sewing,ad DIY, and cooking,and dance. My love for animals manifested into Veganism. My working alone preference clicks well with working in Ultrasound. But I couldn't afford to work part time to delve into hobbies if I hadn't had the opportunities to earn solid income.  I hope to volunteer even more in the future. And one day, that passion will click. (Although, I've been accused of having passions I don't agree as having, funny.)

My hobbies lead me to wonder about trying my hand at nutrition (natural health in general), sewing costumes and corsets,carpentry, owning my own business doing any of the above. FI will give me the freedom to attempt these things without worrying about the bottom line. How wonderful.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2014, 08:48:42 PM by Mesmoiselle »

Rustyfa

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #21 on: December 02, 2014, 09:03:40 PM »
Honestly work wise I am a numbers guy and it makes me happy when things tie.  So I am an accountant.  Is this my passion?  No.  It does pay well ish and will allow my wife and myself to retire decently early and spend time with my family.  It will also allow us to save for our children and give them opportunity and hopefully an easier road.  This should allow them to help their children and hopefully every generation gets another step up.

As far as passion I think I would be happiest helping kids and fishing.  Combine those two and that is my dream job.

As for purpose and direction?  I accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior.  I highly encourage everyone to as well.  I'm sure that is tough with your background. 

ShortInSeattle

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2014, 09:13:21 PM »
Some good advice I received was to look for work that exists at the intersection of three things:

- Something you are good at.
- Something you enjoy.
- Something that pays well.

Also, sometimes a job is a job, and your passions will exist outside the workplace. That is equally a good way to live, so long as your job is reasonably pleasant.

Your past jobs seem to involve personal care and customer service, in a one-on-one sense. Those fields might be a place to start looking. Healthcare could be a fit, as others suggested. Student advising, tutoring, and elder care might also fit. School administration or office work possibly.

Work. Learn. Adjust. Repeat. :)

Exflyboy

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #23 on: December 02, 2014, 11:25:35 PM »
I know what my passion is.. its doing surgery or emergency medicine.

But instead I became an engineer. Basically in the UK I just didn't have the opportunity to become a doctor, you almost had to have familiy connections on the inside to get into medicine in my day.

So I never really did find my passion, but engineering was a good second best. I was very good at it and it is/was academically challenging and paid pretty well.

I am a little sad about this looking back and still fantasise about dropping a couple of hundred k and going to med school at 53 years old. I could afford to do it,but it would make no financial sense to do that and I don't know if I want to work that hard at this point in my life..

I suspect if I did I might end up hating it and I'd never have a career as a doctor anyway.

But I have had a good career and it got me headhunted to a kickass job in the US, where I was paid enough to get FI.. Its not all bad..:)

Frank

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #24 on: December 03, 2014, 09:59:42 AM »
Myers Briggs helped me, as did a book/test called "Strengths Finder", put out by the Gallup institution. Totally worth it. Buy the book online, it has to be new so you can take the test. It helped me hugely to focus on my strengths and to find a career that would allow me to use and develop those strengths.

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #25 on: December 03, 2014, 10:02:46 AM »

I know what my passion is.. its doing surgery or emergency medicine.

But instead I became an engineer. Basically in the UK I just didn't have the opportunity to become a doctor, you almost had to have familiy connections on the inside to get into medicine in my day.

So I never really did find my passion, but engineering was a good second best. I was very good at it and it is/was academically challenging and paid pretty well.

I am a little sad about this looking back and still fantasise about dropping a couple of hundred k and going to med school at 53 years old. I could afford to do it,but it would make no financial sense to do that and I don't know if I want to work that hard at this point in my life..

I suspect if I did I might end up hating it and I'd never have a career as a doctor anyway.

But I have had a good career and it got me headhunted to a kickass job in the US, where I was paid enough to get FI.. Its not all bad..:)

Frank

So my husband has dedicated two moves, 11 years, and tens of thousands of dollars to becoming a doctor. He has two more years before completion. He often says he wishes he had become an engineer, instead! More control over your life, get a job sooner, no crazy shifts, still problem solving and knowing how stuff works...

The grass is always greener ;)

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Re: How do/did you find your passion, or purpose, or direction in life?
« Reply #26 on: December 03, 2014, 10:59:23 AM »
What about those of us who know their passion, but doing so would require more debt? I'm passionate about women's health and the pregnancy process. I would love to be a women's health nurse practitioner, but there's no way you can do that without a NP degree. I already have a bachelor's in nursing and have no debt from college (thanks, mom and dad). I really don't want student loan debt :/