Many dreams of finding a career that aligns with their passions and values, but only a few achieve it. Some may think pursuing their passion is selfish or unrealistic, while others may feel guilty or conflicted about serving the world. How to follow your passions and serve the world? Besides, how can you balance your fulfillment and your social impact? The answer is not simple, but it is possible. Below are some tips and examples of how you can follow your passions and serve the world.
Find your Ikigai
Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being”. It is the intersection of four elements: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. Finding your ikigai can help you discover your true purpose and direction in life.
To find your ikigai, ask yourself some questions and reflect on your answers. What are you passionate about? How about your strengths and skills? What problems do you want to solve? Also, what kind of value can you offer? How can you monetize your talents?
You may not find your ikigai overnight, but you can start by exploring different options and experimenting with projects. Also, you can seek feedback from others who know you well or share your interests. You may find that your ikigai changes over time as you grow and learn.
One example of someone who found his ikigai is Adam Braun, the founder of Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that builds schools and provides education to children in developing countries. Braun was a successful consultant who felt unfulfilled by his corporate career.
He decided to travel the world and ask children what they wanted most in life. Then, he was surprised to hear that many of them wanted a pencil. Also, he realized that he had a passion for education and a skill for fundraising. He started by giving out pencils to children in need, and then he launched his organization with $25 in 2008. Since then, he has built over 500 schools and served over 100,000 students.
Follow your curiosity
Another way to follow your passions and serve the world is to follow your curiosity. Curiosity is the desire to learn new things and explore new possibilities. It can lead you to discover new passions or deepen existing ones. Also, it can help you find new ways to contribute to the world.
To follow your curiosity, be open-minded and willing to try new things. You can read books, watch documentaries, listen to podcasts, attend workshops, join communities, or travel to new places. Besides, you can ask questions, seek mentors, or find people who can inspire you.
One example of someone who followed his curiosity is Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. Musk is known for his visionary and ambitious projects that aim to revolutionize transportation, energy, space exploration, and human-computer interaction. He is driven by his curiosity about the future and his desire to solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Thus, he started by teaching himself how to code as a child and then pursued his interests in physics, engineering, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Use your strengths
A third way to follow your passions and serve the world is to use your strengths. Strengths are the natural talents and abilities that you have or can develop. They are what make you unique and valuable. Also, they are what makes you happy and fulfilled.
To use your strengths, you need to identify them and apply them to your work or life. Moreover, you can take online assessments to discover your top strengths. You can also ask for feedback from others who know or have worked with you.
Once you know your strengths, you can look for opportunities to use them to benefit others. You can also seek to improve or learn new skills that complement them.
One example of someone who used her strengths is Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the co-founder of Malala Fund, a non-profit organization that advocates for girls’ education around the world. Yousafzai was born in Pakistan, where she faced discrimination and violence for going to school. She used her strengths of courage, communication, and leadership to speak out against the Taliban and demand her right to education. Also, she survived a gunshot wound to her head in 2012 and became a global icon for girls’ rights.
Conclusion
Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
Following your passions and serving the world is not easy, but it is possible. You can find your ikigai, follow your curiosity, and use your strengths to discover your purpose and direction in life. Aside from these, you can learn from the examples of people who have done it before and who inspire you.
Remember that following your passions and serving the world is not a one-time decision but a continuous process. You may face challenges, doubts, or failures but can overcome them with perseverance and resilience. Also, you may need to adjust your goals, strategies, or actions as you learn and grow.
The most important thing is to stay true to yourself and your values. Don’t let others tell you what you should do or how you should do it. Moreover, don’t let fear or doubt stop you from pursuing your dreams. Don’t let complacency or comfort make you settle for less than you deserve.
You have the power and the potential to follow your passions and serve the world. Particularly, you just need to take action and make it happen. Indeed, you will not only make yourself happier and more fulfilled, but you will also make the world a better place for everyone. For further information, you can watch this Top 40 Greatest Motivational Quotes of Successful and Famous People to inspire you more of following your passion.
Until next time!
