Why don’t we build careers that follow our talent?

Why does most everyone hold their talent/passion/true gift/calling under water like trying to hold a beach ball under water? It does eventually pop up, but why the squelching? It’s wide spread and effects all classes, people, etc.

3 replies
  1. Penelope Trunk
    Penelope Trunk says:

    I think there are three things that push us off track:

    1. Most people are caught up in a need to make a regular paycheck to support a family.

    2. And those who are not caught up with that are caught up in the need to impress their parents or peers.

    3. People send their kids to school where teachers tell kids that school is more important than their talent/passion/calling.

    So parents train their kids to want external validation, which is what school grades are about. And as adults quest for external validation destroys us inside.

    In fact, it’s rare that an adult cannot make enough money for what they need. But as we lose ourselves inside other peoples’ expectations, we lose our sense of what “supporting ourself financially” really means.

    If you can’t tell what you should be doing with your life, take a personality test and read about your type. Here’s a fast, free test.

    http://www.quistic.com/personality-type/test

    And if you want to know how to make sure your kids don’t get pushed away from their best path, figure out their type and respect who they are are instead of trying to change them. Here’s a course for that:

    http://www.quistic.com/seminar/personality-types

  2. Morgan
    Morgan says:

    Not everyone has a “talent/passion/true gift/calling” and those of us who do can’t afford to make a living doing it without someone else bankrolling it. I work my corporate 9-5 so I can pursue my passion (teaching yoga) on my off hours and afford my lifestyle by myself without having to marry rich. If I tried to make a living pursuing my passion, I would grow resentful at the very thing that keeps me fulfilled.

    Now, why don’t more people pursue their passions in their off hours? From a lack of privilege, self-esteem, mentorship, and tenacity.

  3. DMom
    DMom says:

    Love this question and the way you worded it (might you be a fellow ENFP? ;) and love, love, love the answer – it’s exactly why we homeschool.

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