gah, i relate to this way too much!

i can't just decide what i should do as far as a career. my boyfriend doesn't understand as he went to a school specifically for one thing & has a great job now doing something he is good at. on the other hand, i graduated with an English & Broadcast Journalism degree. but not really because i wanted to go into editing or anything. mainly i just like reading and writing...so i thought about going to library school. but now i am changing my mind again. i know things i am not good at (teaching) and i am just starting to learn the things i am good at. i really like my part time job at the moment, but it's not a career...sigh. the whole thing is very confusing. especially when you care about your personal satisfaction & happiness over the amount of the paycheck.

<3

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/your-money/26shortcuts.html
Nice article about passion + jobs/careers.

I reckon that passion & talent don't even necessarily go together. You can be useless at doing something, but love it so much that you could spend your life doing it.

I believe that "passion" is when you think that in your ideal life, you'd be doing "this" all day. Or where you could never ever imagine being paid to do that, because it wouldn't be work, you would love it, every day of doing it would be a weekend.

And that you don't need to narrow it down, to have so much passion, means you are going to lead a fascinating & fun life!

oh my gosh. you are me. This is something I have struggled with for so long. This is why I feel I havent fulfilled my potential yet. I love too many things, i want to do too many things. I cannot choose just one. I know that my PASSION is my photography, but still, it is hard to just jump that direction because of all the loves I feel i am leaving behind, writing, art, ect... thank you for putting these thoughts into words and helping me to know i am not crazy!

Oh, I'm so glad I read this. I kind of posted about the same thing yesterday... but you've done it much more eloquently. I'm glad someone feels the same as I do. Our passions seem to be different, but we're stuck in the same icky situation!

I love that your mom said "here we go again" because that is what everyone says to me. It's gotten to the point where I don't even share my ideas with them anymore because they all roll their eyes!! Bah! There are just so many things I know I would LOVE to do and be great at... I just don't know which one to choose and then go after!

Good luck with finding out your passion:) It's not easy I know. I'm like you. I love a lot of different things like art, music, reading, photography. However, I wouldn't call any of them my passion (except for music maybe).

I SO know where you're at. I too, most of my life, have struggled with a slight passion for many things. Jack of all trades, master of none. I've tried to master something. But, I get bored. Really quickly.

I'm in my thirties and have yet to find my passion. Or, one. I have too many.

"I know what I don't want, though. I don't want to work a 9 to 5, I want my time to be my own. I don't want to work in an environment where my creativity and talents are stifled. A place where I'm deemed dispensable.

And that folks, is about all I know."

Well, She, you know more than most!! Good for you. Don't settle! But something tells me, you will not settle, but go for you PASSION!

"Sometimes I confuse love and passion." How true! That one made me sit back and think. I'm really at a fork in the road. I'm like you, in that I'm not a fan of the 9-5, but what am I passionate enough about to follow through and be successful at? Yikes. "I guess this is growing up"?

:) Eitherway, thanks for posting. You've got quite the lovely blog. I'm digging your Sunday Music posts!

-Chase

You are not alone in that boat deary. I've always questioned myself when it comes to what I love to do and what I have a passion for. I love web design, but I know it's not my passion, because I sometimes dread working for a company. I know film is my passion because I just can't get enough of it and if I had to slave around to work 9-5 for it...then I'm all for it. That's how I look at it, at least.

To have a passion for something is when no matter what the costs, you'll always enjoy doing it. Trust me, you're still young in the game (who am I to talk?) my cousin who is 32 JUST found her passion in baking cakes...and that was way after she had a family and settled down. I'm sure you don't want to get to that point, but maybe you need to stop looking for it and just let it come to you. For all you know, you already do something that you enjoy lots and have a passion for, but you haven't realized it yet. ;)

passion....

i have NO CLUE what that is...

I'm in the same exact boat. We need some life-preserving answers, ASAP!

I've also never went to any sort of college (Well, I did try an online thing for Day Care....it didn't pan out because the person I lived w/ at the time wouldn't let me do any coursework! I hate sisters who lie to me! And that's all three of mine! :( )

Here's hoping we come across passion as quick as possible :D

I think the only way you can figure out what your true to passion is to look deep inside you and see what you like to do without ever getting tired of it.

I know it takes awhile to figure it all out, but you will eventually get there.

You can even try some new things out, who knows? You may discover your new passion through new experiences.

It sounds like you are in a pretty tough predicament. I'm not too fond of the idea of working a 9 to 5 myself, but I have just accepted the fact that I want to take the safe route. I have always planned to take time out for my hobbies and enjoy life though. I applaud you for looking for something that you are passionate about!

You'll know passion when you come across it, and it doesn't even have to hit you in the face for you to notice it. You're right, though. Love and passion is sometimes hard to distinguish. In the end, I think of it this way: You can love something, be happy with it, and enjoy it throughly. But if it were gone, you'd probably just be sad and mope around for a little bit, move on, and love something else. But passion? Passion is something that when denied, you will find other outlets for. If, for some reason or another, you can't pursue your passion, it won't go away. You won't move on. It will appear in other aspects of your life - it'll be dying to get out.

I hope you find yours. I know you will eventually. xx

Passion is a good thing. Don't feel that having too much of it is overwhelming. There are some people with no passion at all and they are the ones who don't take risks, challenge themselves or make their dreams come true.

I'm similar to you. I have a lot of passion and interests. The best advice would be to focus on some thing you like and then compare it with all of your work and personal experiences. You may be able to find a pattern or defining line.

Good luck!