Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life?

Question

This quote is attributed to many authors including Confucious.

Some kids know at an early age that they want to be a Doctor or a musician or fill-in-the-blank.

Some people spend their entire lives working for a paycheck but not really liking so much what they spend much of their time doing.

So... HS parents, what are some practical ways to help your child(ren) discover what they really love?

Have you (students) / have your children (parents) discovered something they are wildly passionate about?

Answer 1

me? I was a working slave, raised by a working slave....until one fine day, my boss took notice of me, MISERABLE as miserable coud be, and put his hand on my shoulder, and said,  "Son---are you HAPPY here? "  Thinking he was gonna FIRE me, I of course swore my allegiance to the firm.  Knowing a good LIAR when he saw one, he assured me my JOB was safe,  but told me, that if I want to be HAPPY, then I should find a job I actually ENJOY doing.  He waved his arm around at HIS office, with a grand flourish and said....." I LOVEEEEEEE being a lawyer!  I wake up and can't WAIT to get here!    If you don't LOVE what you are doing......then WHY are you doing it?   And then he sauntered off, ---smug SOB that he was.  But of course, he was right.  I left shortly thereafter, and followed MY dream instead, which then later took me all over the world.  Wisest words anyone ever spoke to me!

Answer 2

We read, read, read, get out a lot, and allow our child to follow her passions.  Finding out about ideas and having a chance to follow them is the best way, IMHO, to discover passions.

Right now, our 12 year old is passionate about art, marine biology, Tae Kwan Do and horses.  She is already volunteering at her Tae Kwan Do school and training to volunteer at the ranch where she rides.  She takes art classes, and we often go to marine reserves a couple of hours from our home.

Answer 3

i skateboard. and am sponsered.

"live to skate, skate or die"

"skate and destroy"

these are sayings that i live by...

Answer 4

<<So... HS parents, what are some practical ways to help your child(ren) discover what they really love?>>

I've let my DS experience a variety of academic and non-academic activities/experiences.  Through them he has discovered the sport he loves the most (running), the thing he loves to study the most (solar weather), the subjects he loves the most (math & science), and what he wants to do as a career - solar physicist.

I think just making lots of activities, books, online sites, etc., available for them to explore is the best thing we can do for them to discover what they love.  I do not try to steer him in any one direction.  But I do make him experience things he may not want to (live theater for one) just to expose him to it.  If he just can't stand it, then we don't do it again.

I want my child to have a wide and deep worldview and be culturally literate.  So I provide materials that help expand it.

Answer 5

No matter what job you have, it will feel like work sometimes.  If you are one of the lucky few who are able to turn their favorite pastime into a career, you'll still have to sacrifice a little bit of your love for that thing.  You still may be happier than most, but you won't like this thing that you're doing as much as you did before it was your job.

Answer 6

She has many interests, but as of yet, no one great passion. We try to let her see first hand all of the different professional paths a person can take. We emphasize education as a way to be assured more choices in life. We encourage exploration of different topics and hobbies.

Thanks for the great question!

Answer 7

ice cream and I will never work at a place that make ice cream!!!!!

Answer 8

I don't think my children have chosen their vocations as yet, but I do believe that they are learning more about themselves without fear of sanction.   I try (sort of) to let them grow freely and follow their interests and try to let them imagine all the possible ways they can expand these interests into their life plan.

Homeschooling has given them the opportunities to view themselves as individuals.

Answer 9

banking. i enjoy banking so much. it is definantely what i want to do with my life.

Answer 10

I have never worked a day in my life

today



i am teaching

a few months ago

i was surfing

the month before that

i was scuba diving on the great barrier reef

the 3 months before that i was working on a film

and i enjoyed every minute of it

most of it was work

however

because i have followed my passion

it is hard to tell

work from play

if you love doing somethin

consider yourself

fortunate

Answer 11

I work every day cause I hate my job ***Sad face

Answer 12

Yes I want to be a doctor!!

Answer 13

Well speaking from my experience with my artist daughter.....I think the best thing we can do as parents, quite often, is be quiet and get out of their way.

    From the time she was a mini person, she said she was going to be an artist.  I being the practical parent (and the business oriented hubby) suggested, pushed, lectured, led, and so forth......this child to consider a "more practical"  goal.

So now, in her 20's, what does she do?

Well she's an artist of course.  Not starving. Not living under a bridge.  She's content.  And we were dead wrong!!!!!!!!!

(yes....we told her we were wrong and we were sorry)

Young son is totally different.  He is passionate about EVERYTHING.  His whole approach to life is different than the daughter's.  Don't know where his journey will take him, but I know I'm staying at the side of the road and will not try to put any detours in his path.  Lessons learned!