“Can you remember who you were before the world told you who you should be?”

–Danielle LaPorte

Every day millions of students approaching the end of their high school days are asked the question “So, What are you interested in studying?” Many students dread this incursion, as they were stressed out enough with just getting accepted to the university of their choice. How many of these students would you assume actually know what they will study in college? Statistics show that less than 15 percent of high school graduates are sure of what they want to study before entering their freshman year of college. About 80 percent of students end up changing their major at least once throughout their college career. Unfortunately, most of us fit into a niche that could make us millions and we are completely unaware of what it is.

So… how do you find what it is? Well, believe it or not, most of the time your passion is not just something you stumble upon one day. As cheesy as it may sound, it’s most likely something that has been inside of you since you were a child. So, I encourage you to dig a little deeper and follow your dreams, for crying out loud. Don’t settle for a nine to five job that you tolerate to keep afloat. You may have more potential than you think.

I wrote this on my blog a couple of days ago, and I am deciding to share it in this article:

“So.. when did you realize that you’ve “found your passion”?

For me. I had no “ah hah! moment. I didn’t wake up one morning and say “Wow, I really enjoy doing that. I think I’m going to do that for the rest of my life.” I grew up with writing, more for comfort and security than self expression. Writing felt like something I had to do instead of something I enjoyed doing. Through the dark times I listened to my own voice and a blank sheet of paper was my therapist. I wrote out thoughts in jumbled up, disorganized paragraphs just to make sense of everything. I wish I still had a lot of my writing from earlier years more than anything in this world. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an organized journal until around the age of fifteen. I did not realize how in touch with my future I really was every time I broke down and wrote down all of my dark, hidden, and beautiful thoughts and theories.

However, I did have many moments when it all came together and made sense. I remember looking down at a plate of spaghetti as my mother and I pondered the ideas of what I should be doing with my life. “I just think you’re a writer. You just are,” she mentioned as I looked up at her and slurped up my last noodle. It’s kind of funny how mothers just know their children like that. Small simple moments like those are what gave me reassurance.

So.. to answer the question.. I’ve never had an eye-opening moment or experience. I fall in love with writing over and over again in many places and situations. I guess you could say I’ve “found my passion” within all of them.”

Just a little bit of advice for those struggling hard about a future career: find who you are first and where you fit into society. To do this, you need to open up your schedule and do more of what you love to do, and do it alone. Take walks in a park alone, eat alone, sing in the shower, travel, go buy a canvas and splatter your imagination on it. Get out there and express yourself in any way you know how. You are your own unique person, and it’s important that you keep that in mind while finding what you’re best at. Below are some questions you could ask yourself in order to find success within your natural hub of interest:

What do you catch yourself doing whenever you procrastinate?

What do you find easy that others may find difficult?

Do you have a role model or inspiration within a certain field?

Author, actor, musician, inspirational speaker, singer/songwriter, etc. Take note of what makes them stand out. Reach for the stars, there’s nothing stopping you.

Is there something you couldn’t go a year without doing?

I’ve always expressed my thoughts constantly through writing it down and reading it out loud in order to see what exactly I am thinking. Maybe you find this same thing within a sport, habit, collections, or something else?

How did you use your creativity as a child?

Although children love to play all roles when thinking about what they want to be when they grow up, dig deeper. Did your parents save anything you created when you were a child? Did you have anything that you were good at from the very beginning? Think about it. Mimic it. Recreate it in an adult perspective.

There’s money to be made in every corner. How will you make money out of this?

This is for after you’re able to answer any of the questions above. Most students find success easiest through choosing a career path and not a major. Think about what you see yourself doing for the rest of your life instead of something practical or something that slightly sparks your interest when picking a field of study. There’s money to be made within the most simple things, ideas, and businesses. America has no limits.

So, If you’ve lost your way and are still trying to pursue happiness within their future career, don’t lose hope, and do not settle! It’s so easy to lose yourself when you’re constantly being placed under a microscope. After all, comparison is the thief of joy. Do something you love every day for the rest of your life, and who knows? You might just find it.