This week we talked about the importance of passion in everything one does. As a leader, it is really important to be passionate about your work. People who you manage can tell when your heart isn’t in it. That feeling will instill negative emotions that will impact the entire work environment. As a leader you have a responsibility to set the tone for everyone around you. It is very hard to set a positive tone when you are not passionate about what you are doing. 

I work a lot with the upperclassmen in our school. What I have witnessed is that students nowadays are no longer disillusioned by the idea that if you get into a good school and work hard, you will get a good job and have a good life. The generations above them had the guiding light of the white picket fence and the American Dream to path their futures for them. However, Gen Z has seen too many instances of this not working out for people to blindly walk towards that future. A lot of kids get depressed because they have seen a lot of failure in the world, and it is hard to get hope when you haven’t seen a lot of success and happiness. 

It makes sense that kids would process this information and lose hope, but what I believe is that these kids don’t understand the freedom this perspective has given them. If teens and young adults can get past the idea that failure is inevitable, they can see that this worldview is really a gift. They don’t have to take on a career that they won’t be happy with in pursuit of success. They are more able to pursue something about which they are passionate. This is something that I try to remind the students of when they are looking at potential career paths. Money is not everything; you need to do something that will bring you happiness. I believe the best thing you can do to pursue happiness is to do something about which you are passionate. 

So, how do you find your passions? If you don’t already know what you are passionate about, it can feel intimidating to try to discover your passions. For students, I think two great ways to discover passions is to volunteer and try out new hobbies/extracurriculars. Both of these things open you up to new experiences and let you explore sides of yourself that you might not know exist. One of the best things I think students can do while they are in school is just try a bunch of different things. This will give them a better idea of what they do and do not like. All of this information will help them better figure out what they want to do with their lives. If your child feels confused about his future, talk to him about signing up for some clubs and activities. These experiences will help him narrow down the ideas.

-        Bria