Follow Your Passion

I often talk to young people about their career choices. It is hard to break old habits from a lifetime in education.

I had such a conversation with a young man last week who was ruminating about his college course of study. Here’s what I told him.

Go to a community college of two years. It buys you time to mature and it buys your parents a break. Use the two years to get your general studies and an associate’s degree under your belt. During that time, determine the classes that you enjoyed the most.

This young man wanted to pursue political science but also enjoys psychology. 

The conversation reminded me of one I had back in 1987 with a young woman from Jersey County, Illinois. I was working at Lewis and Clark Community College as a broadcasting instructor. She was about to quit broadcasting…but I got her to start talking.

As I listened to her, it was obvious she had grown up on a farm and had a passion for agriculture. So, I proposed she meld broadcasting with farming. She decided to not drop out…and I got her an internship with the Brownfield Network, one of the leading Ag radio networks in the country. She flourished.  

  

Today she is the morning voice of RFD Illinois heard all over the state. Her name is Rita Frazer.

My advice to the young man was to not listen to people who tell him politics and psychologies are losing pursuits. Meld them. Become a political psychologist. It’s a growing field in demand by political candidates and government.

When in career doubt… always pursue your passions. 

Then you’ll never truly ever have to punch a clock. Your work will be your passion.