I work for the fed gov. This was my dream job but it is a matter of time before I lose it. I talked to my family and they said I need to find my passion. I know it’s a cliche answer because they probably don’t know how to confort me or they want me to be quiet about it. In case there’s any truth to that advise, how does one find his passion? Idk if I am asking for advice, job recommendations, or a prayer. I just feel lost and hoping for something. Anything.
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Mountain biking
I get it. I just left the federal government. It’s hard to go back to working for the profit motive instead of the betterment of a country you love. I think the answer is that you need to figure out a way to find love/passion/purpose not at work.
Personally, I don’t believe in “finding a life’s passion” it’s something that’s kind of already there. It’s a thing that you wake up in the morning and think about almost every single waking moment. I’ve only met a few people that had the kind of drive and passion about a specific thing that they can revolve their entire lives around it.
For most other people, we live multifaceted lives. We enjoy a variety of things for a reason. Even if you really liked doing a hobby, take sewing for example. When you make that into a job/career then it will more likely than not slowly suck the joy out of that thing. Hobbies are hobbies for a reason, they generally distract from all the other stuff in life you HAVE to do. So once you HAVE to do a hobby in order to survive, it can become problematic.
I would suggest instead find something you’re good at and make that your career. Something you don’t mind doing day in and day out. People generally enjoy being good at things and the better you are at something the more valuable that skill/work becomes so you can make a nice living at it.
Good luck finding a new path. Things will likely work out in the end.
It is a cliche. Why are you going to lose it?
Generally people find their passions by pursuing their interests…..
If you don’t have any interests then force yourself to try new things.
Finding a passion for a career is difficult and sometimes destructive.
I’m passionate about classic cars but that doesn’t mean I want to work on other people’s car all day…
Passion does not pay the bills. I’m passionate about cooking and writing but I don’t want to be a chef nor am I getting a book deal tomorrow lol.
Find a job that lets you have the life you want and go from there. I work an office job with no weekends or overtime and that gives me the time I need to pursue what I’m passionate about. Maybe for you that’s looks different! You should know in your heart what you’re passionate about and if that’s something you want to do for money.
Ain’t a soul alive that dreams of work and there’s no shame in having a job that’s just a job. The answers will come to you, but it might be in your best interest to knock on a few doors before you get that letter.
Passion=/=Career in my opinion. My career is a means to an end, my passion is my family/friends/hobbies. Anything I get to do outside of my 8-5. I like my job, I don’t see myself doing anything else, but I’m not waking up chomping at the bit to go sit at a desk all day. I’m happy to further myself in my career, but only because it gets my outside life ahead as well
find your identity without labels and roles, the nothingness which is something. Then pay attention to the situations and people in your life, love will naturally emerge for these people in their circumstances that you’re a part in. From here, Love will become a flame of motivation – you’ll know what you want for the people you love and develop desire to do the work of manifesting it. But it will not feel like work, it will feel like flow, play, like being who you are which is effortless yet active.
There are two routes in life:
You live to work. Your career is the focus of your life. Maybe it’s your passion or maybe you’re just good at it. Either way, you derive meaning from your job. You probably work a lot of hours and are always gunning for a promotion or a new position. You might make a lot of money (e.g. lawyer) or you might make a difference in the world (e.g. director of a charity).
You work to live. You work 40 hours a week doing whatever. It doesn’t matter. It just pays the bills. Your focus in life is your wife, kids, hobbies, etc. You find meaning in life by throwing the ball around with your kids, paining pictures of mallards, and making love to your wife.
So first decide what kind of person you are. There’s no wrong choice. My sibling is number one. I’m number two. To me, a job is a job. My passion is my family.
I’ve been asking. myself this since college.!!
All I know:
potential routes for me:
so far not even close !!
in for answers
You don’t find a purpose, you self-realize your life flowing itself constantly creates purpose through your own way of Being here, through your involvement in the world. The further you deepen this connection to embody the truth, then the easier it will become to truly live your life, no matter the circumstances, instead of reacting to it.
I think there is a big misconception that your passion has to be work related or paid.
It’s ok to find a decent job you can tolerate and find your passions elsewhere.
I always think back to an article I read some years ago. This girl was an actuary. To me, I would rather hang myself, but she did get paid like $150k USD a year. She could do anything she wanted in life outside of work – including pursuing all her hobbies and passions.
The two don’t need to be connected.
It does sound like a polite thing to say in place of something meaningful tbh.
In terms of jobs some people do find their passion and some don’t. I suspect the majority of people just find a profession they can work reasonably well in.
I haven’t found my passion for example, I’ve just found what’s convenient and what suits me to a large extent.
Your job doesn’t need to be your passion. That idea only really works out when what you’re best at happens to perfectly align with what you love. And honestly, that’s rare. Even then, turning your passion into your livelihood often means it stops being a source of joy and starts becoming a source of stress.
Instead, try reframing the question. Think about what you’re good at. What strengths do you bring to the table? Then look for industries or roles where those strengths are most needed. Once you identify that, figure out what specific skills you still need to develop to be a strong fit. Your job might not light your soul on fire, but if you’re using your talents and growing, it can still bring real fulfillment.
Outside of work, I’ve found it helpful to have three types of hobbies:
Then try to build community around at least one of those. That’s where passion for life tends to sneak in. It’s not from a single lightning-bolt moment of clarity, but from a rhythm of doing things that matter to you, even in small ways.
“Following your passion” is terrible advice. You need to find what you are good at that will pay the bills and let you take part in what you love OUTSIDE of work.
No need for a passion in life. No need for a purpose. You are useless in the grand scheme of things. You enjoy life as much as you can, every day, and then you die. The way you enjoy life is yours to determine. It can be through a passion, but it can also not be.
Your only way is to do things, and then do more of the things that you liked, less of the things that you don’t like, and try new things. At last, you have to make sure you always have the means and ability to keep on doing more of the things you like, and less of the things you don’t like. It generally means enough money, but also enough health, some support (people who like you and help you be), some knowledge… a little of all that is needed to sustain you enough to otherwise do more of what you like and less of what you don’t like.
You may find passion in one of those pillars. It might be work, or the passion of being healthy, or the love of knowledge, or of course Love of another human being. But it might also not be the case. You might have an average job , average friends, average health and average knowledge, and not be passionate about any of those thinks, but still be happy everyday doing a little more of what you like, and a little less of what you don’t like.
This is your life. You are a complex set of atoms. Nobody can know if you need passion or purpose. Just do you 🙂
Passion, purpose, and career are not mutually exclusive.
You can have a passion that doesn’t pay bills, you can find a career in your passion if it exists. Sorry, but that’s something only you can find. I don’t know what your passion is.
Purpose is something you decide for yourself. You’re not a pre-cut jigsaw puzzle that needs to be put in its place. You decide that you’re here to do ____.
Many times men tie their worth to a job, and when they lose that job, they feel like they’re in the gutter. Don’t do that. You’re more than an employee.
If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. And if what you love doesn’t pay shit, you’ll never be financially secure a day in your life either. Ensure your own financial security, because the world doesn’t actually care about you. Half of the country is actively cheering on your misery. Fuck them and get yours.
Purpose comes from being a valued part of a community. It doesn’t usually come from within IMO.
I’m a longtime state employee and I still find purpose there, although it gets harder and harder as my statewide community becomes more unrecognizable.
The best I can probably say is to look for some smaller groups to meaningfully contribute to.
I’m getting out of a rut myself. Made a ton of money in medical sales. Thought I wanted a stress free job but I just got bored within a year. The easy job just made me depressed.
Now I’m taking on a new job and a challenge and I feel invigorated again. I guess I love stress lol been working out consistently and feel motivated
Find a job that pays well. Then you have money (and hopefully time) to follow your passions.
Hobbies
Once you work really hard at whatever you’re doing, doors start unlocking. That tired feeling after you win is purpose, passion is the sweat
No advice but as a fellow fed just letting you know you’re not alone
try a lot of things