How do I find my passion?

horologist2018 · 2018-11-12T23:53:57+00:00

I'm not going to offer direct advice, instead I'll take the opportunity to talk about myself:

As a teenager, I was always interested in computers, programming, etc. Learned everything I wanted to know; thought that was my passion. Turns out it wasn't. Joined the military; lots of fun with that, definitely not a passion. Got into tattooing while I was in the military; loved doing it, it wasn't my passion. Got into eBay sales, made a good amount of money; not my passion. Do you see the trend here? Like you, I did a lot of things, but none of them were my passion.

Then one day. . . I was in an antique store. I came across this gorgeous broken clock. Obviously old (turns out it was from 1882). I paid $100 for it and brought it home. Started reading about clock repair; holy shit there was a lot to learn. Half-ass fixed it. Got on Craigslist and started buying old broken clocks. Started buying horological tools. Started reading about watches. Bought more tools, fixed more clocks; then I decided fuck it! I'm going to start a clock repair business! So I did. Got a shitload of tools over time, started fixing watches, then started repairing people's jewelry.

Fast forward about 9 years; turns out this is my passion. Watchmaking/Clockmaking, and Jewelry Repair. I never get bored when tearing down a customer's Rolex, or restoring some 90 year old woman's grandfather clock. It consumes me. Even resizing some lady's gold wedding band is always entertaining, as simple as that task is.

Point is: Who knows what your passion is? When you find it, it will consume you.

chazthundergut · 2018-11-12T23:57:19+00:00

You are still young so I wouldnt worry too much.

But the number one thing you'll need in order to find your passion is get out of your comfort zone

Eldudearino89 · 2018-11-13T01:36:48+00:00

My story is similar to the dude's above...

Finished high school had no clue what to do. Did some American Sign Language interpreting. Didnt fit in my life. Graduated Culinary School with 2 Associates definitely wasn't what I wanted to do when I got done with it. Went back to ASL interpreting for about 3 years my heart wasn't in it. Got into reselling games with eBay on the side. Made pretty decent money lots of freedom, but not what I wanted to do forever. Met this chick in my ASL circles got back into ASL interpreting AGAIN. She got the boot, and I'm still interpreting. Along with running an up and coming pop culture convention.

I'm a stubborn mother fucker hence I keep getting back to ASL. I got to thinking the only reason I ever left every time was because of the women I was with, and I worked wayyyy too much. After this go around it just seems right. I mean my parents are deaf, and it just feels right. Feels like the "powers that be" has given me this gift to use.

Some people it'll hit quickly, some will be all around it, and some it will hit later in life. I'm 29 now. I wouldn't really change much. There's a method to the madness.

Good luck & hopefully you find your thing.

frankreyes · 2018-11-13T09:03:45+00:00

Everyone here's missing the point: your mother's shit testing you.

You are in her frame. You find your passion by not being in her frame.

For example: my passion is computers. Not only I have three university degrees in STEM, an amazing job, but I actually enjoy and have fun working with computers. It is my passion.

When I was younger I was every day in front of the computer. And my mother would tell me, in sneaky and manipulative ways, to get out of the computer and do something else. And I always resisted, and I always told her to fuck off and leave me alone.

Today, my mother likes to brag with her social circle about my computer skills and my computer job and how smart I am. But she forgets the shit that I had to go through when I was younger. Even in university, studying Computer Science, she would tell me to stop using the computer.

You find your passion by yourself. Don't let anyone else interfere, not even your mother.

CrazyKing · 2018-11-13T00:44:53+00:00

You're young, you're still in HS assuming by your post. I chose engineering to major in cause I like science. Just defend yourself to your mom in a polite way by saying you're doing a lot, I'll find it eventually like everyone else.

KeffirLime · 2018-11-13T07:35:07+00:00

"Your passion" as a job is used the same way there's "the one" out there waiting for you, it's bullshit.

There's only interest, try a couple things. At your age you shouldn't know what you want to do. Explore things, different fields. Some will resonate enough for you to really get stuck into it. Others won't.

I left High School without a flying clue. Started working, grinded out, started my own business, then the next, then the next. Was it my passion? No, but it interested the shit out of me. I was passionate about the money(the reason you get a job in the first place)

I now have hours free every day, I occupy them with my "passions", some I even turned into businesses.

Most of my friends are still searching for this elusive passion. Realizing that working in someone else's business, for someone else, how someone else wants you to work, will never really be YOUR passion.

HurricaneHugues · 2018-11-13T18:29:39+00:00

Trial and error. Follow any vein in your arm, and you will notice that somewhere down the line it always branches off to multiple different paths. Follow the vein in yoir life now. Do anything, and it will open a path to other things.

Varelix · 2018-11-13T00:20:31+00:00

you try things, you read about things, you watch things, one day you will find something that really captures your attention to a point you can't stop thinking about it, and even get excited thinking about it, in my case thats science, specifically physics and I didn't discovered it until I was 25 (how can u not discover physics until you are 25, yes I know im fucking dumb, I was more interested in getting drunk and going out with friends than trying to get my life on track)

Keep trying things, that's the only way

Tombert_Williams · 2018-11-13T04:00:36+00:00

Sophomore in high school? You don’t need to worry about “passion “ yet. Success-wise, focus on getting good grades and at least one extra-curricular. You still have plenty of time to make up your mind and change your mind. Also, a lot of this talk about passion is bullshit. Passion is not something pre-existing that lies dormant inside of you waiting to be discovered. It is something you forge yourself by trial and error.

atticusfinch1973 · 2018-11-13T07:21:40+00:00

You're young yet to worry about this stuff. Get good grades and focus on building a future.

I didn't know what I wanted to really do until I was 26.

morgandavies834 · 2018-11-13T13:28:52+00:00

In so good they cant ignore you it details that passion is largely down to 3 things doing good, having autonomy, and being really really good at what you do

UnbreakableFrame · 2018-11-13T04:53:25+00:00

You find it by looking for it.

You look for it by constantly pushing yourself to try new things.

You don't find it by pontificating what it is.

You don't find it by asking other people.

You don't find it in your daily routine.

faustian_talos · 2018-11-13T07:48:59+00:00

Ufff tough one...you will not find it, it will find you.

I have spend 3 years looking for it yet I never found it.

Then I became interested in existentialism - Sartr to be precise.

There I found something which calmed me down. Life has NO meaning, we give meaning to it. And we should since we are highly cognitive beings with average lifespan of 80 years.

So I created my own passion - faith, family, friends and patriotism. 4 P in my native tongue.

Title	How do I find my passion?
Author	TeamLitten
Upvotes	25
Comments	28
Date	November 12, 2018 11:34 PM UTC (7 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/9wjhjd/how_do_i_find_my_passion/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/how-do-i-find-my-passion.53959 https://theredarchive.com/post/53959

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