The last year of high school is an exciting, yet frantic, time. Many students labor over completing college applications and then anxiously wait for acceptances. Other students are most eager, yet petrified, to enter the world of work, armed with their high school diplomas. This is a pivotal moment in teenagers’ lives! In planning for the future, many receive advice about “finding your passion” and then pursuing it. For the lucky few who actually have a clear vision of their passion and how they will work towards that goal, life is not too complex. Most teens don’t know what that “passion” is.
Studies of more than 1200 teens conducted at the Stanford Center on Adolescence between 2002 to 2009 found that only about 20% of young people aged 12 to 26 had a clear idea of what they hoped to accomplish in life. After graduating from college, and within a few years, only 27% of young people worked in a field related to their college major. How does a young adult find that passion?
Most of us don’t have that singular passion which guides us on a straight path. In actuality, there is no one correct path to take. Students today will have several different jobs or careers during their working lives. The way to find that “passion” is to be curious and search for hands-on experiences. Passion, or motivation, comes from being involved in a variety of experiences, and then analyzing them to see what “fits” for the time being. Students need to read, to build with technology, to interact with all age groups, to join clubs and work in small groups on projects. They need to learn the importance of time management, self-control, and taking responsibility, the so-called executive function skills. They need to stand up for what they believe in, to communicate eye to eye, and become well-informed.
By trying out a variety of roles and strengthening personal skills, teens don’t have to wait for passion to strike. They just need to be mindful of what they do each day, and pursue what is meaningful, interesting, and worthwhile.
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.