Understanding how early career professionals can chase passions wisely
Here are my steps on how to chase a passion wisely!
In a world full of so many career opportunities, noise, and seemingly successful influencers experimenting with a multitude of media platforms, it’s no wonder our idea of “chasing a passion” has become so distorted. The very notion of aligning one’s passion with a career has introduced an abundance of questions, and in this article, I want to dive deeper into how young knowledge workers (especially Gen Z) will know if they’re trending down the right career path in life.
When I say passion, I’m encompassing everything including its dictionary definition as well as the realistic societal use to describe any sort of topic, hobby, interest, or activity that brings joy to human lives. One plain textbook example for Gen Z would probably be video games — so a question perhaps one could ask is, “I grew up on video games and I’m passionate about them. Should I become a video game developer/designer?”
I’m currently writing a book on a deeper expansion of this topic: what are the best practices to combine one’s passion with a sustainable and fulfilling long-term career? Below are a few high-level answers that only scratch the surface but will get readers thinking harder:
1. Passion Validation
Many of us are passionate people; we dream of achieving big things in life and accomplishing mountain-high goals that are shaped by an underlying passion that fuels everything we do.
This very definition of passion begs many question marks, such as the all-time “Should I quit my day job and chase my passion?”
But while this notion sounds inspiring and motivating, I want all readers to step back and think: how can I validate that I’m willing to suffer in this passion of mine?
The idea of “passion validation” really stems from my argument that people tend to be overly obsessed with the end vision or dream of an idea, rather than the actual hurdles of reaching said dream. That end vision ends up being the main catalyst propelling people to chase their passions without first understanding the requirements to get there. For example: if a businesswoman loves sports to the point where she dreams of becoming an analyst for her favorite hometown team, is she willing to suffer through years of rejection, grinding for connections, skill development, politics, and unpaid internships? Because those foundational activities are the actual low-hanging fruits they should focus on enjoying first rather than being infatuated by the end goal.
Validate whether you’re truly willing to suffer and fail fast for something vs. just liking the vision of success. You need to be truly willing to suffer through the hard times. If you can’t suffer through a career field’s worst, you don’t deserve its best.
2. Block noise from social media
Our digital age of content and entertainment is vast and seemingly endless. As Cal Newport stated in his 2016 book Deep Work, we have digital slot machines in our pockets at all times.
Notifications, buzzes, and rings all fill our days with dopamine-seeking social media consumption on our phones. And while not all consumption is bad, some of it can distort our perception of reality and how we perceive the notion of success.
Think: when all our favorite influencers and digital creators live their best lives and showcase only smiles across their faces through a lens, it makes us think we’re missing out while we stay “stuck” at our day jobs. But is that the case?
To provide a clear example, think of a video game streamer on Twitch you’re fond of. They may have achieved moderate or even astounding success (either financially or in popularity or both), and it’s influenced you to take that first step to become a streamer as well.
It’s okay to be influenced like this and to curate a dream for yourself by seeing the success of others. But my suggestion is to play it smart: validate that you’re not only passionate about the end picture or dream but rather the actual work it takes to get there. Are you trying to become a streamer because you daydream about certain scenarios if you became one, or is it because you’re aware of the hurdles and challenges with the actual work needed, and you’re ready for the battle? Plan your strategy out. After all, you’re sacrificing your own precious time to experiment! The path to success is long and not always fun; the content we consume sometimes makes it appear as if fun is all that ever exists.
Social media has the power to allow creators to cherry-pick the “best” depictions of their lives to show their viewers. While this is fine in moderation, I urge everyone to be more wary that what they see online isn’t always the same as reality.
3. Build and Produce — Focus on Skill Development
One of the most simplest yet hardest suggestions in the world of passion-chasing is to simply put your head down and build or create instead of blabbering on about an empty box of nothingness.
This helps two things: first, becoming a builder or creator enables you to obtain a critical skillset valuable in today’s market, which therefore accelerates your path to a dream job in a dream industry. Second, and perhaps equally as important, it helps you build the right habits to succeed.
I wrote this article on the art of building and producing while others are distracted in a world of digital attention. Slowly develop habits for producing content or creating value instead of content consumption.
Of course, I’m not telling you to become a workaholic. I’m suggesting to visit other forms of entertainment that may add greater value to your life. A good starter might be picking from various crafts, side projects, writing, reading, exercising, or anything along the lines of “value-creation and/or knowledge/skill development. Learn a new instrument, write a book, start a blog, or pick up a sport! Establish healthy hobbies to replace your old dopamine cravings. Focus on skill development rather than public acknowledgment.
4. Avoid the “Nostalgia Trap”
Some of us were lucky enough to experience a wonderful childhood or upbringing, culminating in glorified memories filled with glitter, charm, and fantasy. Obviously, I’m not speaking for everyone here, but for those who can relate, I’m sure you understand why this term even exists.
For those who don’t, the “Nostalgia trap” refers to the phenomenon where people get caught up in an idealized or romanticized view of the past. But instead of connecting its dictionary definition to how it leads victims to avoid embracing change or progress, my angle is more about how it could both boost and distract one’s career journey.
For example, millions of us from a younger generation grew up cranking up hundreds of hours playing video games that have since shaped our childhood and our love for fictional entertainment. Without first validating whether they enjoy the challenge of problem-solving, politics, stress, risk of layoffs, and failure of product success, they dive head-first into the games industry, hoping to live their childhood dream of becoming a game producer, designer, or developer.
Subjectively speaking, it’s okay to chase a passion based on nostalgia. But our generation needs to be wary of reality and focus on becoming passionate about the challenges associated with chasing their nostalgia. That’s why it’s called the “Nostalgia Trap.”
Conclusion
In a digital age of content, resist the noise and focus on your own career goals. Not everyone in the world is as successful as social media makes them out to be. Keep your head focused, build and produce brilliant content for a niche yet engaged market, and avoid the nostalgia trap by embracing the challenges that come along for the ride!
About Me
My name is Kasey Fu. I’m passionate about writing, technology, AI, gaming, and storytelling 😁.
Follow me on Medium for more passion, product, gaming, productivity, and job-hunting tips! Check out my website and my Linktree, and add me on LinkedIn or Twitter, telling me you saw my articles!