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Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., was a visionary who transformed the technology industry. He was key in the development of leading products such as the iPhone, iPad, and Macintosh. We all use technology differently as a result of those products, even today.
Jobs understood what users wanted and had a gift for design.
That’s what set Apple apart. It wasn’t just about making tech. It was also about creating beautiful products that people enjoyed using.
He always advocated going after your passion no matter where life took you. He shared a line about that in his well-known 2005 Stanford speech: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” This idea wasn’t only influential in his own life. It was part of the culture at Apple… where you worked on something that you enjoyed doing.
The same is true for Warren Buffett, one of the greatest investors in history. He said once: “In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love.” He has worked to turn Berkshire Hathaway into a business empire and did just that throughout his career.
The list goes on. Oprah Winfrey shares the same idea, as well as Richard Branson.
I know what you’re thinking. You have heard before the “follow your passion” advice. It shows up on inspirational posters and has been repeated many times. Maybe you’ve even tried to find your passion but gave up out of frustration. But what if you’ve been looking at it all wrong?
The reality is that following your passions alone will most likely not lead you to a fulfilling career. It’s about finding that “spot” where your unique skills and passions meet. These are the unique abilities that set you apart.
That subtle shift changed everything for me. This is what allowed me to find a career in which I could truly excel and be passionate about.
But how do you figure out these unique skills and abilities? What little cues could you be missing in your day-to-day? Perhaps those special skills are right in front of you, simply waiting for your notice.
Finding one’s actual calling usually starts with childhood interests, or “early interests.”
I was always the curious kid who asked a lot of questions, to the point that my parents became a little annoyed. I wanted to understand and fix everything around me. It was easy for me to find inconsistencies and inefficiencies.
Along with this inclination for problem-solving, I also had business savvy. I was always starting and driving projects from a young age, whether they involved planning events with my neighbors or leading extracurricular activities. This love of project management just grew with time. By eighteen, I had launched my own company, which I ran for five years.
This mix of analytical thinking and interest in business naturally led me to a career where I could use both. I’m drawn to solving complex problems that directly impact an organization’s bottom line, always seeking ways to optimize return on investment. It’s a path that feels authentic to who I am at my core.
Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash
Think about your childhood or observe what you naturally enjoy doing in your free time. What activities did you lose yourself in for hours as a kid or still lose yourself in now? What activities keep you from thinking about anything else while doing them?
Are you the one always organizing group activities, effortlessly taking charge, and bringing people together? Or perhaps you’re the go-to person for solving complex problems. These tendencies can point to natural strengths that might not be obvious “passions.”
If your childhood memories don’t offer clear guidance, consider what activities bring you genuine joy—things you’d happily do for free (or almost for free).
In my case, I like to identify solutions that are likely to have the greatest impact on the organization. It’s natural for me.
This goes beyond my working hours.
I find myself constantly examining several company ideas, ranging from big companies to little retail stores. Given most small businesses close within a few years, I find it interesting how they can compete against large corporations. The way companies make money intrigues me. Occasionally even loss leaders are used to draw consumers before earning from particular goods or services.
Once I spot these “high-potential opportunities, my passion for technology kicks in. Having a tech background, I not only want to hypothesize but also to act. I enjoy building and creating these tools. From developing tools to automate tasks to building and fine-tuning machine learning models, this motivation shows in many forms.
These aren’t just job assignments. I do that in my free time, outside of work. I do it for fun. My main areas of interest are data science and task automation.
This is why I’ve chosen to be a data scientist. It combines my passion for complex problem-solving with the chance to design and create solutions that make a difference.
Alex Honnold started climbing in a gym at age 5 and went outdoors at 11. 2017 saw his most well-known accomplishment when he finished Yosemite National Park’s first free solo ascent of El Capitan’s Freerider route.
In other words, he climbed a 3,000-foot route without any ropes, harnesses, or protective equipment on a hard route, even for experienced climbers (the route is rated 5.13a). Even renowned rock climbers such as Tommy Caldwell were “freaked out” by this attempt. This achievement was featured in the documentary Free Solo. It won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019.
Like many, I was captivated by Alex Honnold’s accomplishment. It has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in rock climbing.
I have a strong enthusiasm for the sport. If I’m not working on a side AI project during my free time, chances are that I’m climbing.
However, am I as skilled in climbing as Alex Honnold, Adam Ondra, or Tommy Caldwell? No. I didn’t start at a young age, and I didn’t dedicate my life to trying to master the sport. I started ten years ago. It would take me tremendous effort to reach their level in climbing.
In contrast, is it easy for me to spot potential high-impact opportunities and solve complex problems? Yes. And it comes naturally to me. I excel in these areas without much effort, unlike rock climbing, even though I really like the sport.
Photo by Hu Chen on Unsplash
What do most of the time people ask you for help with? What tasks take you less effort compared to others? Consider where you would most be able to contribute significantly. What are you uniquely good at? What are the rare and valuable skills that set you apart? These can be hints to your unique ability.
Maybe you have a gift for explaining technical concepts in simple terms, or perhaps you excel at bringing people together.
However, maybe your life circumstances make following your passions seem unachievable. Yet you already know exactly what your passions are and acknowledge your special talents. Do you feel a gap between where you are and where you want to be? Does the journey just seem overwhelming?
I’ve been in that situation. I felt that the constraints of my reality didn’t allow me to pursue my aspirations. There are always solutions, no matter what your life circumstances are.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
— Lao Tzu
If you don’t like your job or if it offers limited room for growth, don’t let that hold you back. Start spending more time on activities you truly enjoy — even if it’s as little as 10% or 20% of your time! This is a start. Even if it requires extra work now, it will pay off in the long term.
In one of my previous jobs, our team was spending countless hours on manual tasks, like copying and pasting data in Excel sheets.
My boss didn’t ask for a solution, but I decided to automate these tasks using Python, something I like doing and am good at. I worked on this outside of my regular hours, and it paid off. We were able to save the equivalent of 1.5 full-time employees’ worth of manual tasks with those scripts!
When my boss saw how much time this saved the company, he gave me more work to automate. I even started working on basic machine-learning algorithms. By doing what I loved and being proactive, I slightly changed my role. That small change only opened up new opportunities.
Another good strategy is having a conversation with your manager. Figure out what you enjoy doing and what adds value to the organization. Then, have an honest discussion about them. If you find it hard to have these kinds of conversations with your manager, it might be worth considering a workplace where open communication is valued!
At one point, I was doing more manual tasks in my current role. I reaffirmed to my manager how much I enjoy designing and building solutions. I explained to my boss how much it meant to me to work on it at least a minimum proportion of my time. Just by having that conversation, I was able to change my tasks back to things I truly enjoy.
If you want to be a coach or guide, you should start acting like one today. You don’t have to be a manager or wait for permission to make a change. Help out your less experienced team members, give advice, and support your coworkers.
You might enjoy creative design, but your current job doesn’t let you use that skill. It should become a part of your work right away. Offer to make art for team presentations and add your artistic touch to reports. You can start improving these skills right away.
Additionally, make sure to discuss your interests and aspirations with your manager. Talk about how you can align your interests with the organization’s goals and look for ways to use these skills in your present job or future projects you’ll be working on.
Photo by Unseen Studio on Unsplash
Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Starting as a small partnership, they were developing software for the emerging computer market. This effort eventually yielded groundbreaking technologies such as Windows and MS-DOS.
Microsoft grew into a tech giant under Gates’s direction. That made him one of the richest people in the world and changed the way people use computers.
But here’s the thing. Gates didn’t end up making technologies. He transitioned. After turning Microsoft into a tech giant, Gates realized that his interests and values were shifting towards addressing global challenges.
Accepting this evolution, he changed his focus to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He has committed his resources and influence to raising world health, improving education, and reducing poverty. His evolution from the co-founder of Microsoft to a full-time philanthropist is a shining example of the importance of being adaptable and receptive to new opportunities throughout one’s career.
Your interests and the job market will evolve. Be open to changes and new areas where you can apply your skills.
I find great satisfaction in data science and developing solutions with a real impact. Though these fields inspire me, I know that my values and interests could change. This adaptability lets me keep growing my skill set while using my current knowledge.
When you initially start something, you might not be passionate about it. However, as you advance and develop in a field, passion often grows. Learning a useful skill can bring great gratification and inspire a real passion for it. Excelling in a field not only feels fulfilling but can also reveal unexpected opportunities. Embracing growth and remaining flexible will help one have a career with unexpected and fulfilling events.
Remember, it’s not about finding a “magical” passion that will make your work feel effortless every day. It’s about finding work that uses your unique skills, provides value, and gives you a sense of purpose. You’re more likely to be successful in your career if you focus on getting rare and useful skills in areas where you’re naturally good at them.
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