Interests and Passions

Consider this:If I told you that “the goal of life is to do what you love and get paid for it”, and that once this is established everything else starts to flow from there, what would you think?

Also, consider our discussion on how success should be defined by each individual, where we determined that success is “to achieve what you intend”.

Based on these two thoughts, we know that truly successful people intend to figure out what it is they love doing, and then set out to determine how they are going to get a job in a field of work that will pay them to do what they love.

So where does a high school student like you start?

The key to figuring this out is to realize that it does not happen over night and it is an ONGOINGprocess filled with TRIAL and ERROR.

There are places to start though, and it begins with figuring out and pursuing your interests. And remember, passions grow from interests, which in turn grown into jobs and eventually careers.

YOUR TASKS

Let’s first inventory your interests, then let’s look at how you can start thinking about how your interests link to your education and most importantly what you are doing daily as a young high school student.

1. First fill in the interest inventory on the next page.

2. Then go to the link below and follow the instructions to take an interest inventory. Please answer the following questions below to keep in your notebook.

Interest Inventory Link:

Follow Up Questions:

1. In what three areas did you score the highest on the inventories?

2. Name three possible areas of study you might be interested in taking at college or university based on your three highest scores.

3. Based on the new information you have acquired on your interests, what is the major focus of study you can concentrate on in high school?

Extension question

  1. Why is there a mix of mandatory classes? Why is it generally not advised to focus right away on one area?

Interest Inventory

My general interests are:

(Stuff like playing video games, socializing with friends, reading)

My interests in academics are:

(Stuff like, how things work mechanically, or why monkeys use tools)

My interests outside of school are:

(Stuff like, sports- skateboarding, clubs- chess and hobbies – collecting comics)

If I could wake up in the morning and not have to go to school, but you had to go to work, what two things would you like to do for work?

Do you like doing things with people or on your own? Explain why?