How to Find What You Love to Do

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By: Brian Kim - July 17, 2006

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This article was inspired by Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford University. In it, he says the advice we’ve all heard a thousand times:

“You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs

Well then, the question naturally arises:

How do you find what you love to do? It’s such a big question.

What absolutely boils my blood is that we hear we should be doing what we love to do all the time, but there’s not any step by step advice out there on how to find what you love to do. The advice that is out there helps to a certain degree, but it’s just a bunch of pieces thrown together with no coherent logical structure or order.

A perfect example is this. In order to find your passion, we are told to ask ourselves: “What would you do if you had a million dollars (tax free)?”

The typical answer ensues: “Well gee, I would put it in an account that yields high interest and live off the interest each year. Then I would move to Hawaii, buy a house, sip margaritas all day, play video games, go to the beach, swim, travel around the world, taste all the cuisines, read the books, play the sports, and on and on and on.”

Does this really help? Not really. Sure, you figured out what your lazy butt likes to do, but it doesn’t really answer the question that’s hidden, which is “How do I make money doing what I love to do?

What's the result? People working in jobs they hate, feeling trapped because they can’t quit as they rely on that sole source of income to finance a lifestyle tailored to escape their grim reality, drifting aimlessly in life, in short, leading lives of quiet desperation, as so eloquently put by Henry David Thoreau.

Why don’t they just quit their jobs and pursue what they love to do you ask?

Two Reasons.

Reason #1: They don’t know what they love to do.

Reason #2: Fear. They’ve got a lifestyle to uphold, bills to pay for, families to take care of, fear of no steady source of income, fear of what other people might think or say about them, etc. Fear. Conquer indecision in Reason #1 and ACT, and you will most definitely conquer all fear in Reason #2.

The very fact that you are seeking to find what you love to do (by the very fact you came across this article and started reading it) is a BIG step believe it or not. Many people in their lifetime avoid or do not even seek to find the answer to that question. They hear the question in their head but have become extremely adept at silencing it.

It is extremely important to answer the question on how to find what you love to do.

You must decide what destination to steer your life in. Otherwise, you leave yourself wide open for others to direct your life, as well as at the mercy of the winds and storms of life. If you know where your destination is, the rest is easy.

You will find once you know what you want to do, all uncertainty and burden will be lifted off your shoulders and you will have clear vision as to what your journey is and that journey will truly be joyful.

By the time you finish reading this article, I sincerely hope you experience that.

What about how to make money doing what you love?

The question of how to monetize doing what you love is certainly a valid one. There are bills to pay, stomachs to feed, families to support, etc.

Don’t worry about that for now. That will be covered later in this article.

First things first, you’ve got to find what you love to do.

Why is it so hard to find what you love to do?

The answer is:

It’s not hard at all.

You read right.

It’s not hard at all.

Then why are so many people having difficulty finding what they love to do?

Because they’ve never truly asked themselves.

What amazes me is that there seems to be a stigma attached to spending time with oneself. You have to constantly be doing something, whether it’s going to the game, drinking beer with the buddies, going to that hot party or club downtown, etc. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with doing all that, but I suspect the vast majority of people who engage in this “I have to be doing something every minute because I can’t be by myself” mentality are just putting up a front to show people how satisfying and fulfilling their life is, when in reality, it’s just the opposite. The irony here is that spending time with oneself is EXACTLY what you should be doing to lead a satisfying and fulfilling life.

People think you have to travel around the world, experience new things, etc to find what you love to do. No. You just have to sit down and decide. The answer is already within you. You just have to dig it up and avoid procrastinating. Your brain has absorbed all sorts of information and experiences and it has the answer ready to be unraveled.

Just let it out.

Be honest. Have you actually sat down by yourself with no distractions, with your sole focus on asking yourself what you love to do without picking up your cell phone, surfing the net, watching TV, chatting on AIM, listening to your favorite song, playing solitaire or minesweeper, checking your email, returning a call, getting a drink of water, going to the bathroom, looking at the clock, reading a magazine article, I could go on and on but you get the point. I’m going to go out on a limb and say you haven’t for the sole purpose of you reading this article. Why is that?

Fear of what the answer will be if you ask yourself what you love to do.

The answer is: I don’t know.

But that is exactly why you MUST find out. You’re avoiding the question because you know the answer is you don’t know, but that’s ok. Admitting you don’t know is perfectly fine. There’s nothing wrong with it. You’re way ahead of a ton of other people who learn to quiet the voice within that asks the question of “What do I love to do?”

And let’s say you’re one of the few people who actually specifically know what they love to do. The next thought that pops in their head is “Oh, I can’t make any money off of that.” The seed that was planted never grew.

I hate vague answers. I want clear, logical, definitive answers to questions.

So let’s do this.

Step 1: You WILL find the answer. No doubt.

You will find the answer. You will find it. No doubt.

Approach the question with this mentality and you are sure to find it. How long will it take? It doesn’t matter. Bottom line, you will find the answer.

By doing this, you automatically instill an anti quitting mechanism within yourself, because you know you will find the answer. If you know what you want to do, then you will do it.

For example, if you know you want to arrive in New York, you’ll find ways to get there. You’ll hop a train, bus, or plane going to New York and will arrive in New York.

If you don’t have the cash, you’ll borrow it, or get a job and save up, or get a job as a flight attendant to get there for free. It doesn’t matter how long it will take or what you need to do because you know you’re going to New York.

All your actions onward from the decision that you want to arrive in New York will revolve around getting to New York.

Read that last sentence again.

All your actions onward from the decision that you want to arrive in New York will revolve around getting to New York.

Finding what you love to do = Deciding to arrive in New York.

Step 2: Make a list of your skills and interests in two columns and WRITE THEM DOWN (I’ll explain why you must write things down later):

I’ve taken the liberty of creating a document you can print so you can easily fill in the blanks. You can download it here. KEY is to WRITE THESE DOWN!! I cannot emphasize this enough. Don’t think you can do it all in your head. WRITE IT DOWN.

When I mean by skills is any skill. It could be an intangible skill. Empty your clip here, list EVERY skill you have. It could be programming, making web pages, talking, listening, persuading people, typing, flirting, analyzing, giving speeches, making things easy to understand, whistling, blowing bubbles with your spit, it could be anything. Don’t be bashful. List everything you perceive your skills to be.

On your other column, lists your interests and don’t be shy here as well. List EVERY interest you could possibly think of. Spiders, shoes, hair, makeup, basketball, tennis, thinking of ideas, babysitting, walking, hiking, fireworks, helping people, making fun of people, fishing, tai chi, karate, seashells, seaweed, can openers, anything goes. Yes, I did say can openers. Your interests can also include subjects you are knowledgeable about as well. Computers, economics, biology, baskebtall plays, football plays, magic tricks, etc.

To help you write down more interests, think of what you were interested in at your previous jobs and write them down. Also, think of what you were NOT interested in your previous jobs and write the exact opposite.

Asking yourself the following questions may shed light as to what skills and interests you possess.

If you went in a bookstore, which section do you naturally gravitate toward?

Ask friends for any skills and interests they see in you. You’ll be surprised at how much insight they have on you that you’ve never thought of before.

What do you spend most of your time doing? What do you look forward to doing? Go back and think of your accomplishments as a child. What kind of skills and interests revolved around your accomplishments?

What did people praise you on doing?

What did your teachers or parents say you had a skill or knack of doing?

Why am I emphasizing skills and interests here?

Skills: Because you’ve got to leverage what you’re strong with. And don’t say you don’t have any. Everybody has skills. You’ve just never sat down and thought about it and wrote it down. By using your skills, you’ve got a head start, a catalyst.

Interests: Simply because you’ve got to love what you do. By including interests, you include another form of an anti quitting mechanism.

Focus on generating as many skills and interests you can possibly think of and WRITE IT DOWN!

You may find that your skills are gravitating toward one or two particular skills. The same may hold true for interests. Keep that in mind for step 3.

Step 3: Set aside some TRUE alone time with no distractions to focus and figure out what you love to do by asking yourself the right questions.

It amazes me how people set aside time for taxes, cooking, watching movies, reading, but when it comes to their own personal future, they NEVER set aside any time. How much MORE time should you set aside to figure out the path that will make you happy?

Ok, you’ve set some private alone time with no distractions; now what?

You must ask yourself an extremely clear question. Clarity is key here. The clearer the question, the easier the answer will be.

For example, if I ask you what 12 times 12 is, the answer comes easily, 144.

However, if I ask, what is some even two digit number times some other even two digit number? Guess how long it’ll take you to answer that question?

Clear questions lead to clear answers.

Another key thing is to WRITE it down. I know you’ve heard it a billion times and it’s so cliché but there’s a reason. Writing things down allows you to easily make connections you’ve never thought of before because you see it on paper. It also allows you to "free room" in your brain for other thoughts because they are put in another container so to speak.

If I ask you, what’s 257 times 852, try doing that in your head vs. writing it down. When you write it down, the answer comes out easier, not to mention more accurate.

If you haven’t already wrote down your skills and interests in the previous step, STOP and DO IT NOW. It won’t do you any good having them in your head.

So, let’s use your alone time to ask yourself a clear question in writing. What is the question you should ask yourself? Is it: “What do I love to do?”

That question is a bit broad, so let’s narrow it down a little. Try asking yourself:

What would I love to do on a daily basis utilizing both my skills and interests that will add significant value to people?

See the difference here? The more detailed and clearer the question, the easier it is to answer it. Why did I add the add value part? Because that will lead you to find a way to make money doing what you love.

By incorporating the question of how to add significant value by utilizing your skills, you automatically filter out all the “common answers” that people come up with when asked what they love to do. Common answers such as: “I love to watch TV.” Or “I love to play video games.” Answers such as that discourage people because they see no way of making money from it.

Adding to that, many people tend to make the mistake of focusing on how to make money. A lot of people fail to realize that money is just a byproduct of adding value in the form of a product or service to people.

When you know how you can add value to people, you’ll know how to get money.

Open up Word or get out a blank sheet of paper and write that question up at the top. Here it is again in case you don't want to scroll up.

What would I love to do on a daily basis utilizing both my skills and interests that will add significant value to people?

The KEY is to WRITE YOUR ANSWERS DOWN!! I cannot emphasize this enough. Don’t think you can do it all in your head. WRITE IT DOWN.

Looking at the two column list you made in the previous step, start writing down a list of answers. Just write. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it doesn’t have to make sense because sooner or later, you will connect the dots. Here’s a story to illustrate what I’m talking about.

There was a story about a small town with a ski resort which attracted a lot of tourists, which in turn helped the town’s economy. However, when it snowed, the snowfall collected on the power cables, until the weight was enough to collapse the cables, resulting in several power outages. Slowly but surely, tourists stopped coming, so the town held a meeting to discuss how to solve the problem of having snow collect on the power cables. Solutions were tossed out for quite some time.

Then somebody shouted in a loud voice from the back of the room and said “Let’s hang pots of honey on the power cables to make the bears climb up. When the bears climb up and get the honey, their movement will shake the snow off the power cables.”

The audience laughed and somebody else deciding to play along said “How will we refill the pots of honey?” “We’ll use a helicopter”, another person said.

Then the answer dawned upon them. By having a helicopter fly by the power lines, the wind from the propellers would shake the snow off.

The main point here is that answers, no matter how ridiculous they may seem, should not be feared because more often than not, they lead to results. It’s all part of the process.

Even if an answer seems ludicrous, write it down. Write down all your answers. Do it until you have 20 answers and look them over. You will find that as you write down answers and look at them, it will in turn propel you to think of new creative answers that you would not have come up with before.

You will be amazed at all the things you wrote and the different solid creative ideas that come about.

Now the time comes for focus.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the sun and magnifying glass analogy pertaining to focus but I’m going to say it again. If you try to do a bunch of things at once, nothing will get done. If you wave a magnifying glass around on the hottest day, you won’t burn anything. You’ll dissipate all your energy among the trivial many.

By focusing and harnessing all your power, energy, time, focus, thinking, etc. on one goal, you will be amazed at how deep and quickly you can accomplish that. Just as you steady a magnifying glass on a single object, with the hot burning sun rays analogous to your desire, focus, power, energy, time, etc, you will make an impact.

The notion of focus is so important that I’m going to use another analogy. Imagine you’re a cheetah and you see two juicy gazelles grazing in the grass. Spending your time chasing both = no food = death. Hunt one down. It might take time to catch it and kill it, but when you do, you'll be recharged. You will soon start collecting information on how the gazelles run, which direction they run, where they like to graze, etc, which will help you catch more gazelles in the future, thereby putting you in a favorable cycle. Case in point, focus on one.

So look over your list you just made and choose one idea that seems the most appealing to you. You may find you can combine a few ideas into one idea. Nevertheless, choose one idea that you will garner the greatest satisfaction not just for yourself, but to other people.

You might want to zero in on the ideas that combine your skills and interests that you’ve listed in the beginning. The reason being, psychologically speaking, you’ve probably listed your greatest skills and interests first and then as you started listing them downward, so did your degree of skill and interest. This might not be true. You might have 20 different but equal skills and interests, which if you do, I congratulate you. Just a tip I thought I would throw out.

How Will You Know You’ve Found What You Love To Do?

Does it make you feel good? If you feel it in your gut that you’ve hit the jackpot, you’re right.

If your friend were to bring up the idea you picked, would you be all over it talking about it?

You have to have no reservations about it. If you feel the slightest doubt that it’s not your passion, then it’s not. You must hunger to overcome any obstacles to pursue your passion.

Once you have that, your search is over.

That, right there is what you love to do.

As for how to make money off of it, you might have already found ways when you wrote down your answers. If you still want to find more ways to make money doing what you love, just follow the same steps.

Step 1: Know you will find the answer.

Step 2: Write a clear question, write down the answers, and you will be amazed at the many ways you can make money from it.

I’ll leave the money making question up to you, but it shouldn’t be hard to do.

Now that you know what you love to do and how to make money from it, you must ACT.

That’s a whole other story. Most people get to this stage but don’t act and it doesn’t make any difference in their lives.

Peruse the rest of this site and sign up for the FREE VIP Self Improvement Newsletter in order to invest in yourself by learning how to take action, set goals, manage your time, eliminate fear and doubt (the two biggest dream killers), change the way you think, think positively, visualize, etc., and live the life you want, not the one that others have laid before you.

Invest in yourself and make it happen.

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[tags]passion, career, life, work, motivation, inspiration[/tags]

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241 Responses to “How to Find What You Love to Do”

Reg Aubry Says:
July 25th, 2006 at
Great! The timing for this article is perfect for me. I’ve read dozens of essays on this topic, but yours pulls the components all together, and the focus on THE SPECIFICS is brilliant. Thank you.
Michael Martine Says:
July 25th, 2006 at
Awesome post. Thanks for doing something original.
Brian Kim Says:
July 25th, 2006 at
Reg: Thank you very much for your comment. I really appreciate it and I’m happy that this essay has helped you. Funny you mention how the timing was perfect. That always happens to me as well whenever I’m looking for something.

Michael: Thank you very much for your comment. I will continue to post original content for all to read.
Kynatro.com » Blog Archive » So now what? Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
[…] So you’re done with school and you’re starting your career or perhaps looking for one. What do you do? What speaks to you and whispers promises of fullfillment and enjoyment? I’ve asked myself this question before, but never really sat down and pondered it, focused on it. Found this article this evening on del.icio.us and thought I’d share it. […]
Frank Schophuizen Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Dream on! No seriously, stop thinking and start dreaming to find what you love to do.

Only one criticism: DON’T WRITE THINGS DOWN!
Why? Because it blocks thoughts that perceivingly contradict with what you have written down. It’s very hard to admit and correct written mistakes.

For example: suppose my skill is to play piano music at an advanced level (I do), but that I put “creative” on my skill list. Now suppose I am not creative at all but I wish to be and other people think I am because I make music. But in fact, I don’t make new music, I only play existing music. Writing down “creative” makes it harder to admit that it’s not creativity, but “expression” that I am skilled with.
In my opinion, people with a strong non-verbal expression (i.e. without words) should not force themselves in writing things down. If you forget, it’s not worth remembering.
Marc Moubarak Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Thanks!! timing is also perfect, got a career decision this upcoming week and i’ve been busting my brains out about it.
Potame.com :: All the freaky people make the beauty of the world Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
[…] “You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs […]
Ivan Minic Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Great article, original aproach.. very useful info indeed!
Brian Kim Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Frank: First off, thank you very much for taking the time to comment. I understand where you are coming from. There are people who have strong non-verbal expressions. However, I still would like to encourage people very much to do write things down. As for your example, I noticed that creativity was not an attribute at all. If so, then I don’t think it should have been listed under skills in the first place. Correct me if I’m wrong please. Thank you.

Marc: Thank you very much. I’m glad this article has helped you at the right time.

Ivan: Thank you very much for your kind words. I truly appreciate it.
kathaclysm Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
This is a good idea, and I really wish someone had helped me through that process before I left high school. I agree with writing down your answers, taking them to a trusted councillor would probably be a good follow-up. Picking a path out of high school is difficult, especially when you think you haven’t found yourself yet. All too many college grads have no idea what they want to do when they get out of college because they didn’t make that connection before they applied, thinking they’d figure it out along the way.

I’d love to see the next logical step: how to find a career that matches what you love. Making the connections from love to classes to college/vocational school to career.

I think the biggest hurdle for me, when I knew what I loved, was the thought “but I can’t ever make money doing that.” Now, being in a career I’m not thrilled with that I picked because it was what I thought my parents expected of me, I know I would be much happier even if I was making less money doing what I am in love with. And starting over again is always a difficult option.
Brian Kim Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Kathaclysm: Thank you very much for your comments. If you don’t mind me asking, what was it that you loved to do but thought “I can’t ever make money doing that?”
How to Find What You Love to Do - lifehack.org Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
[…] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers canshare and discover new web pages. […]
yonderboy Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
really liked your article… it’s so true about the lack of direction on finding the work you love…

in his essay “how to do what you love” (http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html - highly recommended) paul graham suggests some interesting “tests” to see if you’re on the right track:

- are you doing things that make your friends say “wow”? your friends are the people you know, whose opinions you respect. he also questions the value of seeking prestige - the opinions of people you don’t even know.

- are you doing things even though you’re not getting paid for it? he asks how many corporate attorneys would work a day job so they could practice corporate law on nights and weekends… my guess is not many, but on the flip side, i know a lot of public defenders who would gladly do so because they love sticking up for the underprivileged.

another suggestion: in addition to skills and interests, explore your natural abilities… our friend frank is not likely to sit down and write an essay on how to do what you love, but i bet he could play us a nice tune about it… in fact, i’m guessing he could pass the two “tests” above… way to go frank!
catharsis » love it. 9daytrip pictures UP!! Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
[…] esoterica: how to find what you love aikido in its purest form. oh snap, RIZR, the sliding RAZR!! be an expert on anything by stephen colbert. jupiter’s two largest storms almost collide [IMG] worlds biggest hole. [IMG] the best free apps HTC wiki [not worth it unless you know what it is] […]
Venkk Suryanarayanan Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Great Post. I wanted to share another tip, if when you are trying to think through your skill/interest you can even use “Search History” of Google (if you’re an active Googler like me) and go through to see what you have searched for and it might give some ideas about your patterns..
Hayden Shumsky Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Brian,
You’ve written a great piece here, full of fantastic ideas for finding work you love. I’ve written a 3 part post on the exact theme at my blog, www.haydencoach.com. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head by highlighting the contradiction of being told to work at what you love but never being told how to find it. With your suggestions and the process I’ve written about, folks can make a huge leap forward in the journey to working at what they love. Good luck to everyone!!!
Deliverable » Blog Archive » Finding What You Love to Do Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
[…] Finding what you love to do = Deciding to arrive in New York. … How to Find What You Love to Do - [Brian Kim] […]
Ray Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
I’m also a student of Napoleon Hill and his tenets in “Think and Grow Rich.” It’s refreshing to hear his ideas (or at least ideas inspired by him) in a new and contemporary way. I’m certain this will help many, myself included.
nathanscooke » Happy? Well are you?? Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
[…] I found an interesting article on the internet that has to deal with doing what makes you happy. It is tailored for happiness in a job, but you can modify it for relationships, family goals, etc. I think it is really interesting that I found this article right before my solitude trip to the island.. […]
Joel Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Just a reply to Frank..

From much experience and trial, writing things down is key. Your example of identifying false skills or interests would pose a problem whether you write it down or not. I find that when I write things down it allows for a much more powerful thought process by relieving my brain of the task of hopelessly trying to track and store all previous thoughts. I can later return to great thoughts that would’ve otherwise been lost.

I don’t believe that if a thought is important you’ll remember it. I’ve had many important thoughts that get lost at sea, even within a day. But I consider many thoughts to be important, even if they don’t seem so at first. As Brian mentions, some of my best ideas have originated from thoughts that seemed a little asinine at first glance.
Hui Zhou Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Nice Article!

However, I see from comments that many readers are young about to choose a career or even a major, and would like to point out: be flexible. What you love to do often change.

From my cursory reading, skill+interest+value -> what you love to do (and should do to make a living).

Skills are just a proportion to experience. For young people, don’t bother too much about your current skills and do place more emphasis on your interest. The efficiency of building skill set or experience is proportional to your interest. With strong interest and time and baseline energy, you will have that skill by time you call it a career.

Interest does not need to be specific. Actually our interest is largely determined by the education we received and the people we live, socialize, and work with. If you doing something and can get sufficient appreciation with relative ease, you are bound to have interest in that particular thing. So it is not that much single cut word to write it down. Say you play football pretty well, and are very interested in it, will you still be interested in it once you are competing in a national league and spend 5 years without achieving your goals? (that also depends on what your dream is). I like science, physics to be specific. But when it comes to academic and stuck to costant writing proposals and doing research based on trend, I am not so sure about my interest any more. So be flexible.

Finding what you love for life is not an easy task and we should not expect any easy solution out of it. Life is complex. Choose your future is difficult. But enjoy whatever life throws at you and be happy is not that difficult.

But I find the formula given in the article most useful when you hate what you are doing right now and thinking about a change. Use this formula to find a choice that is better than what your current job, and go for it. The usefulness of this formula comes in convincing yourself about the rightness of your choice and having a peace of mind.

My 2 grain of salt.
naked elf » Blog Archive » How to Find What You Love to Do Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
[…] This is a question I have long pondered and still have no answer. It’s certainly something I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. This is more of a note to myself than anything, but I figure there are several people in my life who don’t know the answer either, so here you go. […]
Josh Says:
July 26th, 2006 at
Excellent article, definitely one of the most well stated and beneficial things I’ve read in awhile.

When you speak of setting aside true alone time, the word you need is meditation.
5 Things Every College Graduate Should Know Says:
July 28th, 2006 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do The Unstoppable Power of Focus How to Give a Great Speech […]
Jorge Says:
July 28th, 2006 at
Hi Brian,

I like your article very much because it speaks to questions I’ve been asking myself for a very long time. I’m actually less than pleased with my life in general and my job in particular. A lot of it has to do with money. I don’t love money, I don’t even like it, but in this society a certain measure of it is indispensable. You’re right about money being a byproduct of doing that which one is good at and it is that which I’m currently looking for.

I have a number of skills that I believe are useful to others [although I would never boast that they make me a better person than the next. I have to be good at something, right?]. I’ve not explored their true potential sofar and I feel that it is dragging me down.

Articles like yours are showing me there is another way of looking at the world. And yes, I have not acted on what I’m good at for sheer fear and cowardice to go out into the world and take from it what I want [and my needs are modest, really]. Currently, I’m working hard on transforming my life into what it should be rather what others force me to make of it. It’s in the article, it’s very true: if you don’t find your career, it will find you and you won’t enjoy the choices it makes for you.

To all the people who doubt I would say: go out and do it. Try to make your life into what you want it to be. There are no laws governing what your life should look like. If you do not make the change, nobody will do it for you. If you do make the change, people -will- accept it. Have courage, speak your mind, do what you feel is natural to you. ‘To thyne own self be true’.

Mostly I’m doing it because I find that the answers I hear myself give are not the answers I want to give. The answers I want to give are much better and I feel comfortable being that person. I’ve just not had the courage to do so but that is changing.

Be who you want to be. Don’t let the conclusion of your life be: “this is not what I actually want it, but I was afraid to make my own way.” I can say that because that’s how I perceive my life sofar to have been and it’s totally unsatisfactory. Sarah Connor knew it: No fate but what you make.

I apologize for taking up so much screen real estate. I feel very strongly about this and I believe in the value of the advice. I’m going for it!

J.
Andre Says:
July 28th, 2006 at
Hello! I loved your article, so I translated it into brazilian portuguese. It’s separated in two parts: http://vocemaismais.wordpress.com/2006/07/26/como-descobrir-o-que-voce-gosta-de-fazer/ and the 3 steps: http://vocemaismais.wordpress.com/2006/07/28/3-passos-para-voce-descobrir-o-que-gosta-de-fazer/
Auburn Annie Says:
July 29th, 2006 at
Great article - I will pass it on to my kids.

One of the problems of discovering what you love is lack of exposure to a variety of work experiences. It’s better these days, but way back when, the options (for girls) centered around teacher/nurse/secretary/waitress; for boys, policeman/firefighter/doctor/lawyer/accountant. Few people knew anyone who was a physicist, chemist, engineer, published author (outside the local paper’s food writer), meteorologist, analyst of any description etc.

As I say, better these days but it’s still tough to get an accurate idea of what the day-to-day experience of a [fill in the occupation] is without being able to shadow that person.
komatsuna Says:
July 29th, 2006 at
Hi Brian,

It’s a great article. It helps me so much and it is usefull, because this article is specific. It says how to solve the problems and how to make a clear question. I really want japanese people to read this article.

By the way, how long does it take to write this article?

Thank you,
komatsuna
Brian Kim Says:
July 29th, 2006 at
Yonderboy: Thank you very much for the additional tests listed. I think that will help a lot of people who read this article.

Venkk: Good idea on the google search. It worked for me. Thank you.

Hayden: Appreciate your comments and your posts on the article. Two heads are better than one.

Ray: Thanks for the comments. I really appreciate it.

Hui: Thank you for expanding on my article. You make some good and relevant points.

Josh: Absolutley right. Meditation. I just used true alone time to really drive that concept home. Thank you for your kind words.

Jorge:Thank you for sharing and for your kind words.

Andre: Thank you very much for taking the time to translate my article (although I wish you would’ve asked permission first). Nonetheless, the more people that read this, the better the world will be.

Auburn: You’re absolutely right. There are more choices nowadays and shadowing is a very good thing to do to learn all about an occupation.

Komatsuna: Thank you for your kind words. I take it from your comments you would like to translate this article in Japanese so the Japanese people can read this.

My only policy is that if you do translate, please do so to the best of your ability and try to match exactly what was written. Furthermore, please indicate on the translation that the article was written by Brian Kim and was translated and provide a link back to my site as a source. Also please give me a link to the translation as well.

This article took me a month to write and a month to edit. I wanted it to be perfectly polished!
komatsuna Says:
July 29th, 2006 at
Hi, Brian

Thank you for allowing me to translate this article into Japanese. I will do my best by using skills listed up, of course.

You spends months to write this. amazing. That’s why this article is easy to understand for me. Thank you for your effort.

Thanks,
komatsuna
My Ubi-Fone - You’ve got to find what you love Says:
July 30th, 2006 at
[…] We start with finding what they love to do and knowing that It’s not hard at all. Posted by Do you UBI? in work in progress | RSS feed for comments on this post | TrackBack URI […]
Venkk Suryanarayanan Says:
July 31st, 2006 at
Thanks for trying out my idea! You could have spelled my name correctly in the blog though… its “Venkk” (not Vennk)
Drama Queen Says:
August 1st, 2006 at
Great article! Kudos to you! People can underestimate how important it is to love what you do for a living. Having a passion for your work is what drives you everyday to perform outstanding work. If I didn’t love my job it would be hard for me to get out of bed in the mornings! For those that have not necessarily found what you love to do- it’s ok. It can take years and many different jobs to figure it out. In my experience, I have learned that following your heart is the best way to get there faster.
Suzanne Says:
August 1st, 2006 at
This was very timely (to repeat what others have commented). I sent this article to my 26 year old daughter that is having a bit of a crisis right now. Very discontent in the industry (healthcare) she has chosen and yet completely at a loss of what she rather do. The only clear thing she knows is that she wants out of her current job and career path. I had suggested the quiet time and writing down her interests and skills. I don’t know if she’s done it yet, but hopefully this article will motivate her even more. Thanks for making it available for the masses.
Brian Kim Says:
August 1st, 2006 at
Venkke: Sorry about that, I fixed it.

Drama Queen: Thank you for your comments. It’s good to know that you’ve found what you love to do!

Suzanne: I too hope this article will motivate her. At least she is not in denial. I only wish I made this available to the masses sooner.
Deepak Nohwal Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at
I donno what to say..this article is so timely for me…I am in the middle of a dilemma these days about what I am doing and what I want to do…the truth is that the answers of both these questions are different..in fact, this is exactly why I came across your article while coming the internet for information…thank you for the article and though I haven’t been able to devote that time to myself, I sure will devote it over the weekend and am sure this would work.
Brian Kim Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at
Deepak,

I’m glad you came across this article at the right time. I’m also glad you’re going to take some time over the weekend to decide and I’m sure it will work too!
Jeff Says:
August 6th, 2006 at
Wow, this is incredible. I’m glad that someone finally put enough thought into this and articulated it so well. I’m going to reread this several times tomorrow and periodically after to keep this fresh in my mind.
Brian Kim Says:
August 6th, 2006 at
Jeff,

Thank you very much for your comments and kind words. I’m flattered you will take the time to read it again.

Looking foward to the launch of your site.
» Carnival of Business #16 » Consumerism Commentary: Apply Directly to the Forehead! Says:
August 6th, 2006 at
[…] Brian Kim presents How to Find What You Love to Do. Brian says it’s not that hard to determine your passion if you set your mind to do so. […]
Janicek.com » Blog Archive » Job search: Day 1 Says:
August 7th, 2006 at
[…] Elise found my first post-baccalaureate job for me in the Austin American-Stateman. When we went under at the end of the dot-com boom, I found my next job in the AAS. I found my current job in the AAS. So now I’m purusing the AAS for my next job in case I don’t find what I love to do in the meantime. […]
Brian D. Bucy Says:
August 10th, 2006 at
I have spent the better part of 35 years not knowing what I wanted to do, and not knowing how to find out. You have given me new purpose and perhaps a new career. I wish this was available when I graduated High School! This article should be in the hands of every High School senior six months before they graduate. It would have saved me many years of misery in my work.
Brian Kim Says:
August 10th, 2006 at
Brian,

Thank you very much for your comments. I’m glad that this has helped you find new purpose and a new career! I’m actually thrilled. Please keep me up to date. I’m serious!
Tim MMF Says:
August 13th, 2006 at
Good article, thanks for submitting it to the Carnival of Business. Your enthusiasm is contagious.
Brian Kim Says:
August 13th, 2006 at
Tim,

Thank you for taking the time to read it and thank you for hosting the Carnival of Business. Looks like you have a great site going on with tons of content. I look foward to reading all your posts.
A Collection of Highly Disparate Thoughts » Blog Archive » Finding Yourself - Day 5 Says:
August 16th, 2006 at
[…] How To Find What You Love To Do (a little trite, but helpful) […]
Meryl.net » Blog Archive » Finding the Right Niche Says:
August 16th, 2006 at
[…] Experts recommend thinking about the things you’re passionate about when searching for a niche. For me, that’s tech, web, and words, but these don’t qualify as a niche. Brian Kim wrote the popular and superb article, “How to Find What You Love to Do.” It’s a long one… so you might want to save the link for a long break. […]
How to Get 105,934 Unique Visitors to Your New Blog Along With 2 Million Page Views in 45 Days Says:
September 6th, 2006 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do How to Believe You Can Do Anything The Myth of Thinking Big Why Every Man Should Lift Weights How to Give a Great Speech […]
INFP Introverts :: :: September :: 2006 Says:
September 20th, 2006 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do __________ […]
INFP Introverts :: What Am I Doing Here? :: September :: 2006 Says:
September 25th, 2006 at
[…] What amazes me is that there seems to be a stigma attached to spending time with oneself. You have to constantly be doing something, whether it’s going to the game, drinking beer with the buddies, going to that hot party or club downtown, etc. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with doing all that, but I suspect the vast majority of people who engage in this ‘I have to be doing something every minute because I can’t be by myself’ mentality are just putting up a front to show people how satisfying and fulfilling their life is when, in reality, it’s just the opposite.* […]
Bryan C. Fleming » Blog Archive » Personal Growth Carnival August 1st 2006 Says:
October 24th, 2006 at
[…] Brian Kim presents How to Find What You Love to Do posted at Brian Kim. […]
Work Where Your Passion Is at SuccessCREEations Says:
October 29th, 2006 at
[…] By far the most practical advice that lays out a step by step process to work through this that I’ve ever seen was laid out by Brian Kim in his post back in July called How to Find What You Love to Do. I just found the post a couple days ago and I am working through the steps he laid out now (I’ll let you know how it goes.) […]
Chris Johnston Says:
October 30th, 2006 at
I just posted a link to this on my blog. I also copied the link in my email and sent to everyone important in my life. I was directed here by a link on the SuccessCREEations blog. This is by far one the best things I’ve read on the Internet, not just on a blog, on the entire INTERNET. I’ve actually done this in the past but no to this extent. Tomorrow I am blocking out my calender and I’m going to do the entire exercise from start to finish. Thank you for this and I hope more people have the opportunity to read and benefit from this.
Brian Kim Says:
October 30th, 2006 at
Chris,

Thank you very much for your comments and for sharing the article. I’m glad you’re taking some time out to do this as few people do. I have no doubt you will find the answer you’re looking for!
Getting Kicked in the Pants With SuccessJolt’s Carnival of Success » Instigator Blog Says:
November 16th, 2006 at
[…] How To Find What You Love To Do by Brian Kim […]
Blog Shift at SuccessCREEations Says:
November 18th, 2006 at
[…] But it was working through the very practical steps in the post I found in Brian’s archives about How to Find What You Love to Do that lead me to start making some course adjustments here at SuccessCREEations. […]
icecream Says:
November 23rd, 2006 at
I have just read Steve Jobs’commencement and I like it very much.SO glad to read this article.I am a junior college student in China who don’t konw what to do in the future.thanks.
Brian Kim Says:
November 23rd, 2006 at
Hi icecream,

Glad you came by and read the article and also glad that it helped. Hope you find what you love to do.
imacee’s weblog » Blog Archive » 怎样知道你喜欢做什么 Says:
December 3rd, 2006 at
[…] 本文翻译自briankim.net, 原文在此. 写这篇文章的灵感来自于史蒂夫-乔布斯在斯坦福大学学位颁授典礼上的演讲. 在讲话中, 他谈到我们曾听过成千上万遍的忠告: […]
imacee Says:
December 3rd, 2006 at
Hi, Brian Kim, thanks for your writing. I’ve translated this article into Chinese without your permission. Cause I’d like to share your idea of thinking to Chinese.

[url=http://imacee.com/blog/12]Chinese Translation of this article.[/url]

[url=http://imacee.com/blog/12]此文的中文翻译在此.[/url]
imacee Says:
December 3rd, 2006 at
Thanks for your understanding!
Brian Kim Says:
December 3rd, 2006 at
Hi imacee,

Thank you for translating the article and notifying me of it. I appreciate it. The more people that know about it, the better.

Thanks again for all your work!
Maq Says:
December 10th, 2006 at
Dear Brian,

Thank you for the insightful information above. I am following up your method. Richard Bolles, “What Color is Your Parachute” also have some similar method but yours is detailed.

When you mentioned “ideas”, do I choose for skills and interests I listed from my columns that make me feel good from deep inside and come up with ideas and make a story? What happens after that? Can you give example? I hope you don’t mind if I ask you to ellaborate for me starting from page 6 of the last paragraph to page 7 just about “…if you feel it in your gut..”. Or, please email me at the above email.

Again, thanks for opening the door for us.

Best Regards,
Maqueda
Brian Kim Says:
December 10th, 2006 at
Hi Maqueda,

Thanks for stopping by. I will email you shortly so please check your inbox.

Thanks.

Brian
startupspark.com - Carnival of Entrepreneurs Round 2 Says:
December 22nd, 2006 at
[…] Brian Kim helps us find what we love to do. Brian will tell you that it’s not hard to find what you love to do, but you’ve got to ask the question. Once you understand why people don’t ask the question and you look at Brian’s steps for finding what you love to do, you’ll be a heck of a lot closer. […]
meish dot org » links for 2006-07-26 Says:
January 5th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Towards Better Life Carnival Edition #4 (January 7, 2007) « Towards Better Life Says:
January 7th, 2007 at
[…] Brian Kim presents How to Find What You Love to Do posted at BrianKim.net. […]
Emma Roberts Says:
January 7th, 2007 at
I am a student studying at University in England and I was very confused. I left school not knowing what to do and picked the wrong university course for me, but went to try it out anyway, ignoring the fact that my heart was telling me not to go. Finally, thanks to your exercise, I have actually considered what I like doing rather than what is respected and considered appropriate for me. As a result i feel much happier than before i found this site and I am going to stop doing my university course and go travelling while I am young and care-free enough to do so, then i will come back to my list and see where to go from there. Thanks for helping me out and taking the time to write such a well articulated and carefully considered essay.
Emma xx
Brian Kim Says:
January 7th, 2007 at
Hi Emma,

Thanks for dropping by and sharing your story. I’m glad to see that you have become much happier by doing what you want to do, not what others expect you to do. It’s refreshing to see.

I also thank you very much for your kind words. I really appreciate it!

Have fun traveling and when you come back, I think you’ll find what exactly what you’re looking for.

Brian
alberta Says:
January 14th, 2007 at
I happened upon this site while following the links from another site. Your site is wonderful and i bookmarked it. Thank your for the hard work you must have put in to create this wonderful facility. Keep up the excellent work
Brian Kim Says:
January 14th, 2007 at
Hi Alberta,

Thank you for dropping by! I’m glad you found the site and bookmarked it. It’s comments like these that make me want to work even more

Brian
Carnival of Improvement 01 | The Probabilist . com Says:
January 25th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do (3528) by Brian Kim was written as far back as last Summer, so it equals the top five along with the others although in my opinion, it’s the best entry in this carnival. Reserve some extra time for it, as it will drive you to act in discovering what you love to do. Do you know your answer? […]
Dawn Says:
February 13th, 2007 at
I very much enjoyed reading your article. And I would like to thank you for printing it on the internet. I’d write more, but I can’t wait any longer…I’ve got to get started with your guideline so I can find what I love to do!
Brian Kim Says:
February 13th, 2007 at
Hi Dawn,

Thanks for the kind words and you’re very welcome!

Glad to see you jump right on it so fast

Brian
Why working at a real job can be detrimental to your brain at lockeadventure.com Says:
February 14th, 2007 at
[…] 1) Find work that you love to do. (see Brian Kim’s article) […]
Alabama Says:
February 23rd, 2007 at
Some one tell me that your website is very good !I do think so!
Brian Kim Says:
February 24th, 2007 at
Hi Alabama,

Thanks for dropping by and for your kind words. I really appreciate it! And please say thank you on my behalf to the person who told you about my site!

Brian
快乐成功 » Blog Archive » 怎样知道你喜欢做什么 Says:
March 3rd, 2007 at
[…] 投资你自己, 让事情发生.<font color=”gray”>这篇文章转载自imacee’s weblog上的译文，原文为《How to Find What You Love to Do》</font> […]
The Personal Development Carnival - July 30, 2006 - from Creating a Better Life Says:
March 7th, 2007 at
[…] Brian Kim at Brian Kim.net - Invest in Yourself and Make it Happen presents How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Mike Says:
March 9th, 2007 at
Thanks, I needed to hear ,or read, something encouraging. I heard some of this before but the drink of water you get when you are near death in the desert is the most memorable. You get the Gunga Din award.
Brian Kim Says:
March 9th, 2007 at
Hi Mike,

You’re very welcome. Glad I could help and thanks for the award!

Brian
Sabine Faustin Says:
March 14th, 2007 at
Amazing! I’ve been mulling over this question and here I find a great way to get to the answer. Thanks, Brian!
Brian Kim Says:
March 14th, 2007 at
Hi Sabine,

You’re very welcome! And thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate it!

I hope all goes well.

Brian
The Reddelicious Digg Effect: Power to Change Lives Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
John Doe Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
I think you should increase the area in both skills and interests field. It’s too narrow and too small to use. Anyway, it’s good article. Darn good.

b.t.w, I watched Steve Jobs commencing speech as well. It’s brilliant.

Thanks for writing this article. It’s awesome.
Brian Kim Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
Hi John Doe,

Thanks for the tip. I’ll see what I can do with the worksheet.

And thank you for the kind words both here AND on your site! I really appreciate it.

I’m glad you liked the article.

Brian
Bronwyn Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
Great article!

I stumbled back onto what I want to do with myself this winter: designing buildings and/or products. I had had a related profession (interaction design) as a goal, but I just couldn’t get into it enough to do the stuff I knew I had to do to break into the field, like learning programming languages and testing techniques, reading the mailing list, and most especially asking strangers to help me through informational interviews and mentoring. I had a crush on interaction design because it’s a design field, I’m good with computers, and I hoped getting into it would be easier than, say, the 9 years of school and apprenticeship for architecture. But every time I thought about investing the time and money required to really start doing it, I backed off, to do something more enjoyable or to find an easier or cheaper way that didn’t exist for what I was willing to invest.

But drafting up a kitchen with a custom storage system, and thinking offhand about how that storage system could be turned into a installable product, that I did in my free time because I was having so much fun with it. That sparked the question, why aren’t I doing this for a living? I’ll have to go back to school, but so what?

So when you look over your goals, and one seems right, but you’re still finding excuses to not do what you have to do, that’s not it. It might be a close relative, but it’s not the one. Keep looking and you’ll find the goal that makes you counter every objection with a solution, the one where you’d happily pay whatever it takes, cash and years on the barrelhead right now. The path that makes you quiver with eagerness like a hunting dog on the point, the one over there you’ve been ignoring because you’ll have to learn a difficult new skill like drawing, or face big mistakes and big fears, and you didn’t believe you could do those things? That’s the one. Admit how much you really want to go down it, tell yourself you really can do it, and then your passion will take over and you will not let anything keep you from it.
Brian Kim Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
Bronwyn,

Thank you very much for sharing your personal story and contributing so much to the article. Your last paragraph is very well written - I think I’ll include it in the article so that readers don’t miss it

Thanks again for your comments, advice and the kinds words. I really appreciate it!

Brian
Ulan Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
Hello Mr Kim..

I think you are some kinda second Dale Carnegie.. Person of Absolute Inspirational Driver devoting your being to the happiness and success of other people .. It may also be your job where you gain income but that is the least thing that could be encountered..
I think you are the person with the sublime feeling of responsibility and the sense of Empathy , the kinda moral feeling that we now the whole mankind is lacking of.There is a great deal of Absolute or Total Indifference.. and the SELFISH GENE .. or the Egoisticism which is reasoned by the genes we are composed of..
I don’t think that we never could be cured of this Egoisticism and the Indifference and construct the kinda society where there’s the total or the 100% Morality and the Inter help.. where there are values that could be lived for and where one is for everybody and everybody for one..
where people.. the species called Homo Sapiens as we give a special name to ourselves quit to live primitive lives where we do not work for the living and just to live to exist with mundane daily life , on the contrary, begin to explore the wonders of the nature and the universe and expand the Intelligence to the universe , or find out the other Existing Intelligences..extend our lifespans to hundred thousand years with the interference of Genetics and so on.. actually there’s a lot to do..and we are getting really late to discover them ..
To get there we need to make up a good society to propel it..good intentions and inspirations..
I think that you are also not indifferent to all of these..
Briefly what you are doing is the greatest thing and you are the big thinker..
Thank you for your being.!
with best regards.
Brian Kim Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
Hi Ulan,

I don’t know what to say except thank you very much for your kind words! I really appreciate it.

It’s great to see you write your vision of what could possibly be.

We just have to change, one at a time.

Thanks again!

Brian
Liara Covert Says:
March 15th, 2007 at
You make fantastic points Mr. Kim and many people have opportunities to benefit. I also think its important to point out our passions may change as we grow and evolve to get-to-know ourselves. As a person comes to confront fear and embrace change, then the idea of pursuing different goals at different life phases isn’t as daunting. As you say, the best thing to do is take it step by step!
Brian Kim Says:
March 17th, 2007 at
Hi Liara,

Thanks for the kind words and for adding to the article.

I agree with your point that our passions may change as we grow. I myself have experienced that as well.

Anything done step by step, inch by inch will always be a cinch

Brian
Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
March 19th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
CREEating Value - 21 March 2007 at SuccessCREEations by Chris Cree Says:
March 21st, 2007 at
[…] BrianKim.net (feed) - Brian Kim is a fairly traditional self-improvement writer who just happens to resonate with me. In fact it was Brian’s practical hands on advice in his post How to Find What You Love to Do that helped propel my business forward in the first place. Brian’s authored several books and has been a student of self improvement since he was a child. And yet he still shares all that wisdom freely with the world day after day on his blog. You are missing out if you choose not to read it. Brian Kim, CREEating Value, Middle Zone Musings, Robert Hruzek, Tariq Khan, The Kitchen Table Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. […]
marcia siegel Says:
March 22nd, 2007 at
this article is wonderful. it is extremely comprehensive. it is so important to give people DETAILS on how to approach things. it is important to co ordinate your skills with what you enjoy. you need to find that balance.
it would truly be helpful if education would include some input into apptitude and how that would relate to your future occupation. also planning. you may do something for a while to get the finances to do what you truly want.
Brian Kim Says:
March 22nd, 2007 at
Hi Marcia,

Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it.

I agree with you on DETAILS - it’s so important and that is what’s most often left out. I also agree with on the education part as well. If there could be some more guidance on the part of high schools and universities, I think a lot of students would be better off. Planning to get the finances to do what you want is another important aspect as well.

Thanks again for your great comments!

Brian
Living Lonely » The Power in Serving Others [VC Confidential] Says:
March 25th, 2007 at
[…] If you are into postings about inspiration, self-improvement or resiliency, Brian Kim does a good job with his posts at BrianKim.Net. It is one of the blogs that I track in this category and he has written a variety of interesting pieces such as the one on How to Find What You Love to Do. […]
My Stuff :: How to Find What You Love to Do Says:
March 28th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net What absolutely boils my blood is that we hear we should be doing what we love to do all the time, but there’s not any step by step advice out there on how to find what you love to do. The advice that is out there helps to a certain degree, but it’s just a bunch of pieces thrown together with no coherent logical structure or order. […]
My Stuff :: How to Find What You Love to Do » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
March 28th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net What absolutely boils my blood is that we hear we should be doing what we love to do all the time, but there’s not any step by step advice out there on how to find what you love to do. The advice that is out there helps to a certain degree, but it’s just a bunch of pieces thrown together with no coherent logical structure or order. […]
28 Links that Will Change Your Life « The Optimized Life Says:
April 8th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
How to Find What You Love to Do « Tons of Fresh News Says:
April 9th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do How to Find What You Love to Do This article was inspired by Steve Jobs ’ commencement speech at Stanford University. In it, he says the advice we’ve all heard a thousand times: […]
Bouke Says:
April 10th, 2007 at
Three years ago, It was the first time I read about Napoleon Hill. Last year I bought the book. I started reading but I did not want to focus on one issue. I know what I love to do and I do it.
I help people to start their own business. I do it know as my one business. I think, that I will grow rich in the following way: I ‘ll stay the pitstop for people I’ve coached. When they ‘ll grow I’ll grow.
I’m also an actor. a storyteller. I love to act and tell stories. I’m an actor and storyteller in my training now. First I thought focussing on one thing ment, skip the rest. Since I’ve my one company I combine skills in training and coaching. Doubt maybe one of the worst enemies(eg on this website). I’m writing an article for my webstie: the power of doubt and I googled this site. Doubt is in my point of view the hidden secret: doubt is about willing. I experienced the power of willing:, my sense of creativitiy is the willing of two (not the I and even not the other but the energy which leads to creation is the issue. Therefore you need doubt: it starts the engine to focus on WHAT you may create with the other(s).
So selling is creation: double value: not only from you, but also from the other.
Amy Says:
April 11th, 2007 at
I did write skills and interest down, but now I’m puzzled how to put it together. I am back to where I started How to find what I love to do!
Brian Kim Says:
April 11th, 2007 at
Hi Bouke,

Thanks for your stopping by and for your comments.

Amy,

Have you done step 3? Look at your list of skills and interests ask yourself this questions:

What would I love to do on a daily basis utilizing both my skills and interests that will add significant value to people?

Write your answers down.

This may help - http://briankim.net/blog/2007/04/reader-success-story-he-found-what-he-loves-to-do
Tim Ferriss Says:
April 20th, 2007 at
Hi Brian,

Nice article. I’ve found what I love to do and that’s to live life. I used to be in a spot where I tried a number of things because I was looking for something that I could call my own. But then I realized that what I enjoyed was the different experiences that I encountered during my search. I even wrote a book about my experiences. And enjoyed the writing too.

Cheers!

-Tim-
Brian Kim Says:
April 23rd, 2007 at
Hi Tim,

Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad you’ve found what you love to do!
jen Says:
May 2nd, 2007 at
Hi Brian
Thankyou for this - it will be in my next steps…I am in the middle of the process of upsetting the apple cart on being and doing what other people have expected me to be which has led to severe depression. I have downloaded the skills and interests page and start on step one as I work through the process of finding the ‘real’ me. don;t worry I will go steps 2-3 as well…this I hope will be a wonderful tool to decide what it is that is really want. All I have really been able to do so far is recognise what it is that I do not want to do. It has taken a long time to get this far. I also have to reiterate the importance of writing things down - I have been doing this and find it liberating.
Brian Kim Says:
May 3rd, 2007 at
Hi Jen,

No problem. I’m glad I could help. I’m also glad you have gotten to this point where you’re determined to find what YOU want to do - few people ever get to this point in life.

Here are some other articles that may help:

http://briankim.net/blog/2007/04/reader-success-story-he-found-what-he-loves-to-do/

http://briankim.net/blog/2007/04/reader-success-story-he-too-found-what-he-loves-to-do/
How to Get Out of a Job You Hate » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
May 8th, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
I will change your life . com » Blog Archive » 50 Ways to Change Your Life for the Better Says:
May 20th, 2007 at
[…] 35. Find your life purpose. Steve Pavlina has written an excellent article on How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes. Also check out Brian Kim’s How to Find What You Love to Do. […]
INFP Introverts :: Passion, the Passionless, and Fear :: May :: 2007 Says:
May 26th, 2007 at
[…] Individuality What Are You Passionate About? Passion, the Passionless, and Fear How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Emilio Says:
June 2nd, 2007 at
Hi Brian,

This is Emilio from Spain.
I am trying to figure out what my skills and interests are, and so far I got 10 and 14. Should I keep on looking for more? What would be a decent amount? I think I need some orientation, please. Thanks! (no need to say your article has inspired me and I loved it —> that’s why I’m acting on it as soon as I got the chance, I’m 26 and I need to know where I’m heading to… I’m a little lost and I already left my job -as a teacher- because after almost 4 years in the profession I decided I didn’t want to continue anymore, that it wasn’t my passion… people think I’m crazy, but I think the crazy thing is to live a life without purpose and be miserable working just for the money). Hugs for everyone and good luck y’all!!
Brian Kim Says:
June 3rd, 2007 at
Hi Emilio,

Thanks for dropping by. I’m glad you’re taking the time to do the exercise in the article and not just read it!

With regard to your question, there is no “set” number of skills and interests you have to write down. 10 and 14 seem just fine for right now. I would go on to the third step and start using those skills and interests to come up with answers to the question in step 3.

What I recommend is that you add to your list of skills or interests or answers in step 3 everyday. In other words, look it over and see what you may have missed. What you’ll often find is that you’ll think of new skills and interests or answers the next day or the day after when you have some time to think. Don’t think you have to do it all in one sitting. Spread it out. It may take a week or two or you might nail it on the spot.

I commend you for having the courage to leave a job that you had no passion for. Few ever do.

I hope my response has helped. Please let me know if you have any other questions and thanks again for dropping by!

Brian
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gadgotra Says:
July 10th, 2007 at
Cool blog and good post.
I commend you for having the courage to leave a job that you had no passion for. Few ever do.
10 Articles That Changed My LifeLifeReboot.com Says:
July 17th, 2007 at
[…] #4 - Brian Kim’s How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Di Says:
July 20th, 2007 at
I’d like to add something to this article, though it’s up to you whether to include it or not. It has to do with knowing whether a decision will make you happy or not, or whether it’s just the correct decision. Making the correct decision isn’t always the decision that’ll bring the most happiness.

A correct decision is the logical balancing of advantages to disadvantages. But of course, happiness has to do with emotions and feelings, which doesn’t work the way that logic approaches correct decision making.

When I’m done with making a decision, I like to “test drive” it emotionally first. For example, if I’m choosing whether I want to spend more time dating or more time studying, the logical weighing of the pros and cons of both is pretty opinionated and it’s easy to be indecisive. Instead, I close my eyes and imagine myself 1 year from now. I imagine that I wake up in the morning. I imagine what it feels like to have those extra numbers and emotional attachments to others. I imagine in -first person- what this is like. This triggers emotional reactions that are similar to if this actually happened in real life. I also repeat this -first person- emotional test drive with the case in which I study more.

Incidentally, with the emotional test drive, it becomes very clear that I am much happier if I study more than if I date more. Logically, and by contemporary cultural values, this would not have been the typical conclusion at all. I use this process so much. ^___^ maybe this will help.
Jen Says:
July 20th, 2007 at
Di…I read your response…you are so right. I sometimes wonder why I IGNORED the emotional test drive years ago when I could have listened more to what my emotional triggers were telling me. I was stuck on doing what was expected of me - even though this didn’t feel quite right. Don’t ignore the way it ‘feels’ - it’s a good indicator as to how much it really is your passion.
Jonathan Aquino Says:
July 20th, 2007 at
+1 for What Color Is Your Parachute. By going through its detailed analysis, it helped me to choose my career in computer programming.
Saving Seraph» Blog Archive » 10 Articles That Changed My Life Says:
July 22nd, 2007 at
[…] #4 - Brian Kim’s How to Find What You Love to Do […]
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July 23rd, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net - Jul 2007 Great process to discover what you love to do (tags: effectiveness gtd) […]
INFP Introverts :: Passion, the Passionless, and Fear :: July :: 2007 Says:
July 23rd, 2007 at
[…] Individuality What Are You Passionate About? Passion, the Passionless, and Fear How to Find What You Love to Do […]
ChrisR Says:
July 23rd, 2007 at
Great article, linked through johnplaceonline.com.

I would think the main thing to get around is the monetary part once you figure out what you want to do. It’s something that I just can’t seem to get around, so maybe you can help me out.

I love music. I’m only 18, but I consider it my life and play every day (especially now during summer vacation), and would jump at an opportunity to form some kind of career in it. I recieved most of my musical education through Violin and voice through school during most of my k12 experience. I had an especially good voice before puberty, and got to districts numerous times off it, and it was one of the things I was praised for a lot and known for back then. Even though it was incredibly difficult considering my at least semi-introverted nature, I actually wrote a song about greek mythology based off of America’s “A Horse With No Name” for history in the 5th grade and sang it in front of the class! (got a 100 btw, of course ).

I tried picking up the guitar throughout my adolescence, but it never really worked out until about a year or so ago when I realized my fingers were finally long enough to play. My dad played guitar in college, so he started me off in my training, but most of my training came through the internet. There’s a wealth of information out there, pretty much making personal lessons obsolete compared to full lessons and even videos (especially on YouTube) for whatever you’d want to learn. I’ve found I have a real talent for it, and even after only a year I can play far and away better than many people who have played 5+ years. To say that I simply love the guitar would be a gross understatement, but I have no idea where to start in finding how to make a consistant living at it. I didn’t think I was quite good enough for Guitar Center’s King of the Blues competition, but I anticipate entering the contest next year, as it is one of my main goals. Blues is definitely my style, and I have a passion for the music and everything that it embodies (expression, emotion, etc). Perhaps that could serve as a launchpad, but it isn’t a sure thing that I’d win it, although I’ll try my best!

At the moment, my current path is to go into Computer Science at UMass Lowell this fall. I’ll admit, it’s mostly for the money, but I wouldn’t really know what else to do in my current situation. It’s cheap enough that my parents can pay my way through the whole thing without worry for student loans, and it provides a great education in that area of study, and I’m fairly good at the subject at least. My family, especially my dad, tends to believe that the only way to make a living is to learn math (read: calculus) and science (he’s an Electrical Engineer), so I can’t help but fell I’m being pushed in that direction.

I’d love to do what I love, but I don’t want to be a poor hobo! Help!
Thanks,
Chris
Why So Many People Are In Jobs They Hate » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
July 23rd, 2007 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
James Packard Says:
July 31st, 2007 at
I fail to see how this discovery process works for someone my age, 56.
Doing What You Love To Do. » Self Improvement Through Technology Says:
August 3rd, 2007 at
[…] If you are also looking around to figure out what you love to do then you can also read this article “How to find What You Love To Do” by Brian Kim. You will love it. I might want to add one thing…you might want to use mind map when brainstorming things that you like..instead of just a list (this is if you are a right brain dominant). […]
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Brian Kim Says:
August 3rd, 2007 at
Di,

You make an excellent point. It’s always prudent to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of making a big decision.

ChrisR,

The decision is ultimately up to you. It sounds like you have a great deal when it comes to getting an education and I think pursuing that and saving some captial to help fund your dream would be the wise thing to do.

James,

If you haven’t already done so, try the exercise out and then see if the process will help you.

There’s always an answer if you continue to seek and never give up.
Victoria Says:
August 11th, 2007 at
I found the adress to this article in a Swedish newspaper. Hopefully it will help me in the right direction! Thank you!!!
Brian Kim Says:
August 11th, 2007 at
Hi Victoria,

No problem. You’re very welcome. I really hope it will help point you in the right direction as well!

And thanks for telling me how you got to know of the article. It’s good to see that it’s making it’s way worldwide

Brian
Steve Says:
August 12th, 2007 at
Nice… except it is written for the “possible”. That is, the people who are not so bogged down by life that they can actually entertain these thoughts.

Me? Married early, divorced (cheated on), kids, MASSIVE child support payments (they’re on a week-long vacation to Las Vegas this week, but plead “poverty” the rest of the time. Wonder who paid for this trip?)

Poor family, HS dropout, so no college, but a long history of LONG work hours (80+ hours a week) which used to be to support my family, but now just about covers the child support, bills, and not much more.

No time for frivolous thoughts of “who am I again?” What’s a goal? Or a dream? I don’t even know what it ever was.

Good luck to those who have not screwed up so.
林伯的博客 » Days like this Says:
August 13th, 2007 at
[…] If you are feel and have lots of time to spare, do take some time to read these two articles I came across. Violent Acres’ Most People Are Depressed For a Very Good Reason Brian Kim’s How to Find What You Love to Do I wouldn’t say it’s very convincing, but at least it will you widen your mindset. Coz I know some fellow graduates are struggling at work right now. Hope these can give them some guidance. […]
Question: What should I do with my life? Answer: Whatever makes you happiest.LifeReboot.com Says:
August 20th, 2007 at
[…] Steve Jobs suggests living each day as if it were your last. Brian Kim suggests embracing your strengths. Steve Pavlina suggests tweaking your life purpose until it makes you cry. […]
怎样知道你喜欢做什么 | Life 2.0 Says:
August 20th, 2007 at
[…] Brian Kim的这篇《How to Find What You Love to Do》是我认为世界上每个人都应该精读一遍的好文章，很高兴看到imacee把它翻译成了中文，这里是转载的imacee’s weblog上的译文，希望更多的人能看到这篇文章。 […]
Jeff Says:
August 21st, 2007 at
Gosh. Love the article. Have to remind you that the past tense of write is written. Not wrote. Also, ‘have got’ is disgusting. Just lose the got and everything will be pretty again.
Mike Says:
August 24th, 2007 at
I love the article, but I need help with the next step. Assuming I’ve found my passion, how do I go about making a career out of it? I am about to finish my bachelor’s degree and join the work force. I have a feeling that the chances of landing my dream job or something similar out of college are pretty slim. So how can I steer my career in the right direction without being too irresponsible (i.e. quitting a job every time a new opportunity comes around)? Any advice on ensuring my first job will be at least the first step to obtaining my dream? Also, how can I responsibly manage my career path that will lead me to a job I love? Thank you for any insight!
Brian Kim Says:
August 29th, 2007 at
Steve,

I’m sorry to hear about your unfortunate situation. All I have to say is that every passing second is a chance to turn it all around.

“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” - Henry Ford

Jeff,

You got an A+ in English didn’t you

Thanks for the corrections.

Mike,

What you wrote is pretty general. I don’t think I can offer any advice unless you give me specifics.
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[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
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[…] Um dos posts que ele criou que mais me marcou foi o “Como encontrar o que você ama fazer”. […]
gagan Says:
October 2nd, 2007 at
great inspiring stuff here. How do I tell my kids to do what they love. They love to watch TV, they love to play around… but that can’t be the only things I let them do. They would just not study. What do i tell them
Brian Kim Says:
October 5th, 2007 at
Gagan,

Thanks for the kind words.

With regard to your question, this article was mainly geared toward adults not children. However, you can encourage them to try different activities and hobbies until they find one that doesn’t fall along the lines of watching TV or playing around and encourage them to pursue those things.

I hope that helps.
missy Says:
October 5th, 2007 at
Wow! The phrase that stuck with me the most out of the whole article was, “When you know HOW you can add value to people, you’ll know how to get money”. I see it, i especially see it in this particular new blogger (that i like) he set up a new blog, and is doing well with it, as he has the “help people” thing down pat. I can see it, i see how others are doing it, but i cannot “connect the dots” as you say, for myself. I think the problem with me is that i have alot of personal issues with my family, and that baggage is getting in the way big time. (of my clarity)

What i mean is that, i am single and my family is not really “with me” as in not on my side, and even if i became successful tommorrow, what would it be for? there is no one to share it with. So essentially i self-sabotage because i dont see the point. So having said all that, i still have hope and i still am reading your blog, and i still am positive.

So, what advice do you have for folks who dont exactly have support or who dont have anyone to share their success with?
Katie Says:
October 6th, 2007 at
Hi Mr. Kim,

I just wanted to say that this article is fantastic. I found what I love to do by thinking back to what I said when I was 8. You know, when everyone asks “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And I thought about all of my prior life experiences and what I am good at.

If you are curious, it is to teach children and youth. I want to be in the education system and bettering the lives of the future generations (I read your top 5 things article pertaining to education, but I live in Canada so it was not exactly the same). I thought about when I gave up my summer vacation to teach my cousin his math that he was taking via correspondence, about how I am willing to help anyone that asks me for help and not tell him the answer, but make him think of the answer.

I am pouring everything I can into becoming a teacher - only another two and a half years until I get the invitation (degree) to teach. After that, I’ll go anywhere and do anything so I can be in the education system.

I just thought I would write this as another example of someone who found her passion in the same way (though I did it before I read this article).

Katie
Brian Kim Says:
October 13th, 2007 at
Missy,

It’s good to know that you see the information being applied in the real world. With regard to your question, the answer is simple. Find them. And find them you will. You’ll find them in the very process of pursuing what you love to do.

Katie,

Thank you very much for the kind words. And thank you very much for sharing your experiences with us. It’s good to see you pursuing what you love with all your heart and soul. I have no doubt you will make a complete success out of it!
Simon Says:
October 22nd, 2007 at
I searched through your site with the speech keywords by Steve Jobs. Because I want to find what I love in my life. 7 years ago, I found it, it was Computer Animations. I try to find many ways to learn. Back that time, not much course available locally. I originally not university-graduated. I haven’t got a degree. I have taken a course which is only certificate level. When I graduate, I cannot find any job because there is not much computer animation job in HK back that time and the training is not well-defined too. I have applied an animation company which offered me second interview and finally they referred me to Web design company. So I have never entered this field. I lost my faith since then. Don’t know what I can do with it. 3 years later, I went to Japan to study Japanese and hopefully study computer animations but unfortunately, it was too expensive to continue. So, after studying Japanese, I go back to HK and then work in a Japan company desperately. Not long ago, I jump out to do some design work. But it obviously not the stuff I love most. Although 7 years ago, I loved computer animations. I don’t have any great passion now. All passion are cooled down…… I have no idea what my passion is over now.
I am so lost. It would be very nice to hear any advice from you.

Thanks!
Brian Kim Says:
November 1st, 2007 at
Simon,

Perhaps you should ask yourself what it was about Computer Animations that made you so passionate about it in the first place. Try to think of the qualities, aspects, attributes, etc., that you found appealing about it and see if you can’t find another area that embodies those similar things.
INFP Introverts :: Passion, the Passionless, and Fear :: October :: 2007 Says:
November 7th, 2007 at
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Dot Says:
November 27th, 2007 at
I want to thank you for this article, which I found through a post on Life Reboot, which I found from a post on Zen Habits. I am 60 years old and have never had a dream job or dream career. There have been two careers that I was highly interested in, but once I completed the training and actually entered the careers, I found that I didn’t like them.

Years ago, I did all the exercises in “What Color Is Your Parachute?” I concluded that I had a great number of skills in a variety of different areas that couldn’t be combined into anything meaningful. Also, there are many things I’m good at, but don’t particularly enjoy, like teaching, and that was distracting. People kept telling me I should become a teacher, and they seemed annoyed when I told them I didn’t want to.

About 20 years ago I hired a career consultant and went through extensive testing. None of the results seemed to be careers that would make me happy. Ultimately, I just resigned myself to the fact that I didn’t have a dream career. As I put it, “Beachcombing just doesn’t pay enough to support me.”

I had begun to write a post for my blog entitled “The Myth of the Dream Job,” and was doing some research when I came upon your article. The first thing I noticed was that, unlike other approaches to this subject, you admonished us to discard ideas that were simply fun things that you can’t make a career out of (like beachcombing). I thought I would do the exercise just to
confirm that it didn’t work for me. You probably already guessed what happened.

After making the two lists, skills and interests, I decided to set them aside until I could find some quiet time to ponder. However, as I skimmed over my list of skills one last time, it hit me that all of them applied to becoming a writer. Actually, I’ve been a writer all my life, but I never thought that it could support me. I’ve written a journal since I was 12, I’ve written articles which have been published, I’ve even been paid for some of my articles, but I always thought of it as a hobby, not a career. Having read a number of years ago that the average writer’s salary was less than a third of the average household salary, I concluded that writing was a foolish career choice and never thought about it again. But this time I remembered that as a child I had told people I wanted to be a writer.

When I looked at my list of skills, it was obvious that I had plenty of skills to apply to a career in writing, which might ensure that I became a success and earned enough to live on. This had never occurred to me before. In addition, one of my career requirements was to be my own boss, and most of the careers that came up in previous testing involved working for someone else.

So, thank you! I can’t believe it took me so long to find what I should be doing, and now I know. The work that I’ve done to support myself for most of my life has little to do with writing, which helps me understand why I’ve been so unhappy with it. I will get to work on making a plan and facing the fears involved in changing careers at this late date in my life. At least writing is something that can be done part-time while one is in transition.

I am so grateful for your simple exercise! It really worked!
Brian Kim Says:
December 7th, 2007 at
Dot,

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us!

I’m so glad you were able to find what you were looking for with this article.

It’s so great to see that you’ve connected all the dots and found that “it” you were looking for and judging from the vast experience you’ve had with writing, it looks like you’ll be very prepared to make the transition to it.

I’m sure that your story will serve as an inspiration to those in a similar situation so thanks again for sharing it with us. I really appreciate it.
J Says:
December 8th, 2007 at
Hi Brian,
I really enjoyed the article, your advice, outlook and positivity. Refreshing…
But I have a question. What if what I love seems to change? What if I do the exercise and the results are different one day to another? I mean, how do I know whats really realistic, and whats me floating around with my head in the clouds?

Anyway, thanks for caring enough about others to take the time with things like this.

All the best!
Brian Kim Says:
December 14th, 2007 at
J,

I’m glad you enjoyed the article.

With regard to your question, the foundational components of what you love to do don’t change. BUT the “vehicle” that incorporates those components might change from time to time.

For example, if you really like socializing with people, you might do party planning for some time and then change that to social work the next. Look for the foundational components.

With regard to knowing what’s realistic and what’s not, that’s a question you’re going to have to ask yourself. I just want to point out that things may seem unrealistic at first, but if you break it down and do things little by little, step by step, they start to become more realistic over time, so don’t just automatically assume it’s not realistic at first. Take a good hard look at it and see if it’s really possible for you.

I hope that answered your questions.
Lily Says:
December 20th, 2007 at
Hi,

Thank you so much, Brian. You really are a great help! Thanks for keeping it simple & effective.
I just have a little advice question. I love people, but I am also an INTJ/INFJ female. I’m going back to school soon to complete a degree in English & Psychology (double-major if that is useful at all). Participating in the activities in your article really helped me feel more confident about that. The field that you’re in seems to be somewhere along those lines; so, I was just wondering if I could humbly ask you for advice on how an introvert could maintain a healthy balance with the challenges of “giving” in extroverted ways in that kind of field?
I also am a little stumped on whether or not pursuing a family at the same time is pursuing two things at once that I am passionate about? I really appreciate your thoughts, Brian. If the questions are better suited for email, I have no problem with that as an introvert:) and trust your judgement. Thank you!
Finding what you love to do | Memeverse Says:
December 23rd, 2007 at
[…] “How to Find What You Love to Do” by Brian Kim of BrianKim.net self improvement site. And this last one actually offers a practical self by step advice on how to find pretty much exactly what you love to do. Now since Paul Graham warns that most people don’t really find an answer to this so quickly, which makes some sense to me, I’ll take this with a grain of salt. However, the steps are quite constructive and I believe may be a great major step towards finding that golden answer. […]
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Improve your life and then the world | Memeverse Says:
January 8th, 2008 at
[…] 1. (Re)discover who you are and what do you love to do: 1, 2 […]
Brian Kim Says:
January 10th, 2008 at
Hi Lily,

Apologies for the late reply. My focus has been on other projects and I’ve just started to come back and respond to all past comments and emails with regard to this blog.

Regarding your question, I do believe an introvert can maintain a healthy balance in terms of “giving” in extroverted ways in the sense that they don’t do it continuously. Just in short intervals of time. It’s important to have some alone time to act as a buffer to recharge before engaging in extroverted behavior again. Creative scheduling, alternative ways of giving without engaging in extroverted behavior, or maybe even finding a “behind the scenes” position where you don’t have to be out there so much can help with regard to your field.

And regarding pursuing a family, I’m afraid I can’t help you out in that area. That’s a pretty personal decision and I don’t feel comfortable giving out advice about that. I do understand the dilemna that presents from your standpoint and I know for a fact that there are a lot of women out there who face the same issue. Some have chosen to delay starting a family in favor of first establishing their career. Some have been able to do both. Some have chosen to start a family first. It really depends on the individual. The only thing I would say is to trust your gut. You know yourself the best. You know your situation the best. It’s really your call and rightfully should be. Whatever decision you choose, I know you’ll make the right one for you.

Hope that helps.
Lily Says:
January 16th, 2008 at
No problem:)

I did read your articles on shyness & introverts as well. I guess figuring out my specific boundaries for scheduling & such is probably going to take some trial & error (which I hate the error part of sometimes:).

Since my main thing is that I like to learn…and then share what I learn to help people, it may translate into both Psychology & Family-ing:) So, maybe it’s a matter of “vehicles” like you said in #153? (Either way the education aspect is important.)

I also have one other question. I LOVED exploring the natural environment as a little kid. My heart to help people emerged more as a preteen/teen (around the time my parents got divorced). I’m thinking maybe I need to reflect more on whether one passion “grew” whereas the other is more innate?
Brian Kim Says:
January 22nd, 2008 at
Lily,

I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking here but I’ll do my best to answer.

I think it is a matter of the “vehicles” I said in that comment you mentioned.

As for reflecting on whether one passion “grew” whereas the other one is more innate, you can do that but I’m not sure where you’re going to go with it. It seems to me you’re pretty keen on helping people. Perhaps you can combine that with your love of the natural environment somewhow.
Kent Snyder Says:
February 16th, 2008 at
I have to tell you that i stumbled across this article by accident, but I think it may have already started changing my life. I am an over 40 male who spent 20 years as a mechanic because it paid decent money. I hated it! I hated the stereo typing, the environment, and the lack of respect from managers who thought their skills were more important than mine. Three years ago I went back to school at night and earn a Bachelors Degree in accounting. I was very excited to make a change. Then I started to feel the pressure from age discrimination, lack of computer and office skills, and a general feeling that I just wasted a huge amount of time and money. I eventually accepted the first job offer from a company willing to give me a chance. My income is one half of what it was and I am constantly reminded of how expendable I am. When I return to school my goal was to obtain the skills I need to own and operate my OWN small business. Now, I’m really not sure what I want to do. This article has re-ignited something in me to take action.
Thank you so much!
Kent
Kyle Says:
February 27th, 2008 at
I would say that pursuing your passion in life is the best thing that you can do for yourself. Life is too short to continue doing what you don’t like. You have to find the courage to just go for it! There are many talents that we all have, you just need to find out what is best for you. You might have the next Big Idea inside of you and not even know it yet. You need to create an action plan that can start you on the road to success. Do what you Love!
To your success
Kyle
Ποιος φοβάται την αυτοβελτίωση; « Που είναι η πανοπλία μου; Says:
March 4th, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Noa Rose Says:
March 7th, 2008 at
Excellent post. I recently posted an article on Defining Your Calling, and your post offers excellent advice on identifying it. I’m glad so many readers have found it. It should be recommended reading for every high school and college graduate.
Simon Says:
March 9th, 2008 at
Hi all, especially Brian,

Firstly THANK YOU! Your article is as inspiring as it is well written. I can read it over and over and its like getting justification for the way I feel for 9 hours out of my day.
If you don’t mind I’d like to take up a little space…
I’m a mid-twenties male from England who went to university to study Illustration - with dreams of drawing Batman in a New York office - and I am currently working in a large international bank as a recruiter ‘HOW DID THAT HAPPEN’ I hear you cry. That, dear friends, is a very good question. After uni I went for a job interview at said bank and got a job as a ‘Temp’ AKA filing boy. I then took on more work and before I knew it I was a ‘valued mamber’ of the team. I carried on with it, for necessity - paying bills etc, but mostly because I was comfortable. After a year I thought ‘This isn’t for me’ and quit. I travelled to Australia and New Zealand and had the time of my life - vowing to myself that I would never return to a job I hated. I spent my time in Oz working as a cattleman and it was fantastic. Something I wanted to do when I got back. Unfortunately there was no work in that area when I returned home… so… I returned to the bank (I know, I know) and I hate it even more than before. I don’t think it is the people I work with, most of them are ok (not share a beer with ok but manageable) I know for a fact that I’m not doing what I love. We are pressured to ‘go up the career ladder’ to ’strive to succeed’ at every turn. I wanted a job that wouldn’t be too taxing so I could concentrate on creating artwork to sell. So far I have been there for another year and I’ve not sold a single piece of art. Again the ‘comfy’ thing comes into play. Is there any one out there who just wants to turn up to work, do their job and leave? Without having to push your career until you’re ready in a role you actually like doing? There better had be and I would be totally surprised if there wasn’t.
Apologies for the rant, Brian you are a saviour to people like me. You, and your articles, give us office minions the desire to break out of the drudgery and learn to fly again. Thank you
Brian Kim Says:
March 14th, 2008 at
Kent,

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. I’m sure it’s one that many people will be able to relate to on some level.

I’m glad this article was able to help re-ignite that something within you to take action to ultimately help you get what you really want from your career.

Here’s to the journey.

Noah,

Thanks so much for your kind words and for posting the article for others to read. I really appreciate it. And I couldn’t agree more that it should be required reading for all our graduates!

Simon,

Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it. I’m glad you were able to benefit from the article.

I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people are nodding their head in agreement while reading your story. It has elements that probably everyone reading will be able to relate to.

Careers/jobs are often a catch 22 for most people in that they know they need one to pay the bills and survive, yet they yearn the freedom to do what they really want, which is creative in nature. I’m sure you’ll be able to find a way to balance the two or better yet, mold them into one.

Invest in yourself and make it happen!
It CAN Be Done: Let Nobody Else Tell You Otherwise » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
March 19th, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Tarah Says:
March 24th, 2008 at
Do you know “The Secret”? It’s funny to me the realization of ones interpretation of this passage. I am a firm believer you are supposed to happen upon things that you happen upon. I felt as though you had written this for me. As if God had you write this just for me to find. I am in a weird place in my life… as it always seems to be that way in the present moment… if you will.. but I have had many things happen to me in the past year or so that makes my step in the next direction exciting yet scary. I have always been afraid to believe that what makes me happy could actually make me money. I thought my current job was the way. But it seems that it has been a stepping tool to the next career journey. I was meant to stumble upon this page but am nervous to take the road ahead of me in fear of losing what it currently in my life. family and friends. However I am stuck in this rat race and you may have helped me on my way home. Thank you.
Brian Kim Says:
March 27th, 2008 at
Tarah,

Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with us. It always seems as if you find the information you need at the right time doesn’t it?

With regard to “The Secret”, my thoughts on it are outlined in an article I wrote which you can find below.

http://briankim.net/blog/2006/09/how-intention-manifestation-or-law-of-attraction-works/

I’m glad the article was able to help.

Here’s to finding your way home.
Warren Greeley » Blog Archive » Loving What You Do (and How to Find It) Says:
April 2nd, 2008 at
[…] Click here to read How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Become a Lifestyle Entrepreneur: Complete Guide and 40+ Resources | Cultivate Greatness Personal Development, Leadership Training & Life Hacks Says:
April 9th, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do — Brian Kim […]
Angel Says:
April 17th, 2008 at
Thanks for adding value. The pianist who didn’t think he should have written down creativity should consider that interpretation (expression) is just as creative as composition. Savants, who do not express emotions well, can play a piece “perfectly” but do not know how to add expression to it.
Reader Success Story: Once His Goal Was Set, There Was No Going Back » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
April 23rd, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Bill Baumgartner Says:
May 7th, 2008 at
Brian,

This post may very well have changed my life.
I’ve been trying to determine my purpose in life
for the last several decades, content to stay with what I was comfortable,
with what paid the bills, but with what actually kept me from my dreams.

I am so grateful for having found you.

I now have a new direction.

Thank you again,

Bill
Quarter Life Crisis Stuff from a friend | Quarter Life Crisis Says:
May 13th, 2008 at
[…] How To Find What You Love To Do: http://www.briankim.net/blog/2006/07/how-to-find-what-you-love-to-do/ […]
Mary Says:
May 16th, 2008 at
Awesome article! I’ve read it several times and put it to use … I haven’t read anything quite like this anywhere else. anyway I posted this on a message board and finally got around to leaving a comment. Thanks for sharing!
Giovanni Says:
May 28th, 2008 at
I think I know what I’d love to do. But to obtain it I should change country (it doesn’t exists in my own country), go back to the university, study full-time 2-3 years without working, and then hope to work. There is no other way.
It’s just so out of reach
Marie Says:
June 12th, 2008 at
For me, it’s been very challenging. I’ve met with career counselors before; a mental health counselor and/or a life coach…and I’m still left without a clear answer. Though I’ve daydreamed or had a desire for a while in the past, I don’t seem to have the determination to do something even though I know I want to do something about it or just make a decision at the moment. I’ve been asked and asked myself a similar question, and the answer would usually be, “I don’t know.”
brela Says:
June 20th, 2008 at
Hi Brian,

This article is SO good and like many other people that have already posted, its come at the exact right time. Ive just come back from travelling and going crazy thinking up al these ideas of what I should be doing,and everybody that I told my new idea to would always say “but are you passionate about that, do something your passionate about” And my answer would be “well Im passionate about sitting on a beach,watching the sun go down” So obviously Ive been driving myself crazy.
Its made me think alot and I think Im going to go back to Uni.Its a sacrifice but I dont want to be in the same position I am now in 5 years time. Its time to make some changes.

Thankyou
Adam Says:
July 1st, 2008 at
Wow. Thanks buddy. That was deep. I like how in the beginning you talked about how you have to be clear about what you want or else you’ll be like a victim for the world to push over. Knowing what you want gives you posture. Again, thanks for the post.
Brian Kim Says:
July 10th, 2008 at
Bill,

I’m so happy to hear that this post has helped you find direction in your life. Here’s to the start of a brand new chapter in your life.

Mary,

Thank you very much for the kind words and for spreading the article for others to read. I really appreciate it! I’m glad you’ve put it to good use.

Giovanni,

It does sound out of a reach, but take it one step at a time. Don’t be daunted by the size of the goal. Take it inch by inch and it’s a cinch!

Marie,

I think my second book will help your current situation. I wrote it specifically to help people like you. You can learn more about it by clicking the link below.

http://www.briankim.net/finallyfindwhatyoulovetodo2.php

Brela,

I’m so glad the article was able to help and came at just the right time for you. Here’s to the successful changes you’ll be making in life.

Adam,

No problem. I’m glad the article was able to help!
Focus on Building YOUR OWN EMPIRE » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
July 10th, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
How to Believe You Can Do Anything » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
July 15th, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
How to Believe You Can Do Anything | awwwww.org Says:
July 16th, 2008 at
[…] It’s not enough to just say “Oh, just believe and it will happen.” I hate with a passion of a thousand suns, advice that’s just given to us without any proper procedures or guidelines to follow on how to implement it. That’s what drove me to write the “How to Find What You Love to Do” article. […]
How to Identify, Develop, and Leverage Your Greatest Skills » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Randy Says:
August 7th, 2008 at
Dear Brian,
First of all, thank you very much for writing this article. Like others have stated, I haven’t found anything quite like it and I accidentally stumbled upon it at the right time! I have a question. How do you know if you will enjoy doing something if you have no experience in the field, or in my case, no experience whatsoever? I mean, when you’re looking at the interests and skills list and thinking of possible career paths, is your passion something that you have always thought about even in the back of your mind, or could it be something you have never considered before? Thanks a lot for any advice!
Brian Kim Says:
August 24th, 2008 at
Hi Randy,

I’m glad you stumbled onto the article. To answer your question, it could be both. Chances are though, it’s probably something you’ve thought about before on some level. That’s not to say it can’t be something that you’ve never considered before. Perhaps you’ll find a combination of interests and skills that you never would’ve thought of before.

There’s no really “set” answer to your question.

Just look to see if there’s that “energy” behind your endeavor. That excitement. Let that guide you.

Hope that helps.
sophia Says:
August 27th, 2008 at
Dear Brian

First and foremost, i would like to say thank you for your generosity. You surly didn’t have to do this but you did and here i am today feeling hope again. I just finished reading your post and thoughts regarding work, life and everything in between. This couldn’t come in a better time. I would like to share with you my dilemma at the moment and any comments you can give will be extremely appreciated.
I am a 22 year old girl living in California that is lost. I attended university with the intention of becoming a doctor. I liked biology and when everyone in my family knew that they all said hay biology=medicine=doctor=money=security! I too went along with this formula. Around the end of my second year i decided that it wasn’t for me being a doctor, that i don’t know exactly what it is i wanted but i was going to switch to an easier major to raise my GPA for i intended to continue for a masters degree. (Since everyone in my family has it) again, not thinking what I WANT. So here i am today, going on for another quarter. I would have finished this summer but freaked out because i didn’t know what i was going to do so i decided to stay one more quarter this fall. Buying time i suppose.
After completing the steps in your post, i have come to realize many things about myself. Lately, i’ve been dedicated in trying to figure out what my purpose is and when i did your exercise, it became a little clearer. Now, i’m stuck. You see, i have narrowed down what it is i would like to do daily but it isn’t in a “career form.” My states like this: Analyzing NOT researching cultures, religion, the universe, ancient civilization by writing. I don’t know where to take this? I don’t know what career fits this nor do i know where to look for my options. All i know is that it covers my strong skills analyzing and writing and my interests. I feel really good deep inside of me about the conclusion i’ve reached but just don’t know how to apply it to a career. Any advice you have will be a tremendous help. Thanks again for everything.
Sophia
The Definitive Guide to Self Improvement » Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
August 28th, 2008 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
bruce Says:
August 28th, 2008 at
I’m turning 40 in a few months. I have no degree, just high school. I’ve been a computer technician most of my life. I have no leadership skills of any kind, and all I do is fix computers, which is now getting pretty boring. When I say “I don’t know what I want to do”, I really don’t. There is nothing. My life is nothing. It’s totally empty. Sure I have a house, car, all that nonsense, but as for goals, passions, skills, whatever: nothing. I’m finding it more and more difficult to go on.
The Definitive Guide to Self Improvement | EGOsync Says:
August 28th, 2008 at
[…] It’s the theme that permeates all my articles, books, and soon my new service (which I will post about later next week). It’s what led me to write How to Find What You Love to Do, How to Believe You Can Do Anything, Why Nice Guys Can’t Get Girls, How to Be a Man, How to Really Make Money Online, The Hidden Secret in Think and Grow Rich, How to FINALLY Find What You Love to Do: The DEFINITIVE Guide to Finding and Successfully Pursuing Your Passion, etc. […]
Brian Kim Says:
August 29th, 2008 at
Hi Sophia,

You’re quite welcome. Thanks for dropping by. Let’s see how I can help.

You stated that you like to engage in “analyzing NOT researching cultures, religion, the universe, ancient civilization by writing.” What do you mean EXACTLY by analyzing? It’s a bit general. If you were to expand on that, I think we can get a little more traction going.

Bruce,

It seems you’ve got a case of apathy going on in your life right now. It happens from time to time. Don’t worry about it. Here are some articles that might help you out in that area:

http://briankim.net/blog/2007/04/the-importance-and-power-of-having-purpose-in-your-life/

http://briankim.net/blog/2007/03/the-dangers-of-falling-into-the-trap-of-complacency/

http://briankim.net/blog/2008/01/how-to-get-your-drive-back/
sophia Says:
August 30th, 2008 at
Brian,

Thanks for responding. Well, to expand on the analyzing thing i can present some sort of example. For example, i am obsessed with the national geographic channel. I sit at home and imagine me working for them but in what way i don’t know. I realized i like to write my thoughts on something/topic/culture/etc… based on what has been already researched on. In college, i really didn’t enjoy doing research papers and honestly that is my only experience with research so i cannot say i KNOW what research is all about. The only thing i know is i didn’t enjoy it much. With analyzing, i interpret researched documents, resources and want to respond or analyze what IT MEANS instead of writing about what i researched. I don’t know if it makes sense. I can give you another example. There is a guy that writes a blog and i enjoy responding to what he writes. It ranges from personal to political usually about third world countries. I enjoy breaking down what he say and say what i think and somehow i do it really well. I enjoy having other people mention me in their comments saying they agree or disagree with what i say. So i guess i like to take what is available think on it, synthesize it and deliver my comments, thoughts, etc… that is what i mean with analyzing. Hope it helps. Thanks again
Brian Kim Says:
September 3rd, 2008 at
Hi Sophia,

Thanks for the detailed reply. I think I have a better understanding of what you’re talking about.

In line with your example you gave at the end, have you ever thought of writing a commentary column for maybe a news/political site or magazine? It looks like something that could be up your alley.
Erin Says:
September 4th, 2008 at
Dear Brian,

I am so glad that I found this article. It has helped me a lot in understanding that you can actually have a hold of your own life. You are so right about people thinking that they have to be doing something every moment of the day. I also love this article because it makes me feel like my goals are attainable and that I am not limited. I just graduated college and it makes me mad when people ask me my major and then they say “well what are you going to do with that” as if i can ONLY do a few things with it. Your article is amazing and I think that everyone should benefit. It takes a lot of work to find what you want in life, I hope my lightbulb of ideas will be going off shortly! Thanks so much!!
Brian Kim Says:
September 12th, 2008 at
Erin,

You’re very welcome. I’m so glad the article was able to help!

And thank you very much for your kind words as well. I really appreciate it.

Here’s to those lightbulb of ideas going off!

Brian
All you need is Love « The New Win Weblog Says:
October 24th, 2008 at
[…] If your interested in a motivating read about this I highly recommend this article. Brian Kim’s, “How to Find What You Love.” Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Lennon’s quoteRomance for Everyonefor no one… […]
Nathan Says:
October 27th, 2008 at
This is perhaps the single most important piece of writing that one can peruse. Without a purpose in life what do we have?
Thank you much for this article and others, you are a very wise man.
Stopping to Celebrate! 100+ Party Links that Mark Our History - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. Says:
November 2nd, 2008 at
[…] Brian Kim How to Find What You Love to Do […]
axel g Says:
November 3rd, 2008 at
Imagine going to the same job for 40 years and not enjoying any of it…

Work flows naturally when it’s enjoyable.

Nice post +_+
Brian Kim Says:
November 11th, 2008 at
Nathan,

Thank you very much for your kind words. I really appreciate it. I’m glad the articles have helped.

Axel,

“Work flows naturally when it’s enjoyable.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Thanks for sharing that with us.
КАК НАЙТИ ТО, ЧТО ТЕБЕ ДЕЙСТВИТЕЛЬНО НРАВИТСЯ ДЕЛАТЬ-1? « Заметки об Эффективности Says:
November 27th, 2008 at
[…] Благо, я знаю english. Нашла отличный блог Брайана Кима и статью, которая так и называется “Как найти то, что нравится делать”. […]
Hogyan találd meg mi az amit valóban szeretsz csinálni | Confessions of a cat Says:
February 18th, 2009 at
[…] Ez a cikk Brian Kim “How to find what you love to do” című cikkének magyar fordítása. Brian beleegyezését adta ennek a fordításnak az elkészítéséhez. […]
How to Find What You Love to Do « Daily Insights Says:
February 27th, 2009 at
[…] Read More Here […]
A job, one’s biggest contribution « Step by step to a better life … for others Says:
March 13th, 2009 at
[…] Interest: What are you interested by? What kind of work do you like to do? Some people have a deep interest for a particular field which will drive them to do a helpful contribution in their field. But for most, the interest of a job lays in it’s definition: Does it involve a lot of social relations? Is more of a manual job? Does it involve working all the time in a laboratory? Is there much problem solving? Is there a lot of data to memorize ? Does it have a concrete result ? Can your projects be canceled?And there are also some applied practicalities to consider : type of job, type of industry, type of company, career path, job structure, work hours, travel, office setting, location and compensation and benefits. There is a good article on work interest here. […]
Ja Says:
May 21st, 2009 at
What a great article, thanks!

I do have a question though…

Do you think it’s a good idea to repeat the process of writing your interests and skills on different days & times? I tend to be in very different moods throughout the week and I think this could affect what’s written.

What do you think?
Brian Kim Says:
May 23rd, 2009 at
Hi Ja,

You’re very welcome.

To answer your question, I think that would be a great idea. There’s a lot of things that can influence your thinking so the more times you try it in different days and times, the more things you can uncover from your mind.
Nana Says:
May 30th, 2009 at
Mr. Kim:

I am a college senior. I’m so glad to have found your site. I’ve been perusing all week, and have been trying to tell my friends, but they are aren’t having it! They’ll come around, hopefully. I have to say that your work is truly a blessing. I could go on and on, but I won’t waste too much space. I’ve listed a bunch of skills and interests of mine, but per my problem in the first place, I can’t for the life of me seem to connect them or narrow them down to one goal that I can focus on. And if I do seem to find an answer, I find a problem. I’m having trouble staying encouraged in finding what I love to do. I’ve always felt unfocused, a jill-of-all-trades who will never find one life’s work that will utilize my talents and help others. Do you have any suggestions for the person who cannot make it through that second-to-last stage that involves finding that ANSWER that gives you an undeniably good “THAT’S IT!” feeling?

Thanks in advance,
Nana
Self Improvement @ ithinketh.com Says:
May 31st, 2009 at
Brian a lot of great information here.

I also see it like this. Many of us love to do many things and the opposite as well. Reality is, that if we don’t add value to the “market place,” we don’t get paid very much (Jim Rohn). I agree with this simple philosophy. Here’s a short story that compares with this subject:

I wanted to be a dentist at age 17 to 1) make my parents proud 2) help people through dentistry 3) my cousin was a dentist and making good money. So for me, those 3 desires/emotions to gain were highly significant. Not much to lose there at age 17. By my fourth year of college, I loved philosophy and also fell in love with my wife. I fell out of love with the idea of becoming a dentist. So at age 21, my goals changed. I still wanted to help people. Most of all, I wanted to be with my wife and begin a family. I completed collge and went to work for a large firm. I did not care for the work I was doing, but I did get a lot of pleasure out of being a top performer.

I have developed many skills in helping and communicating with people since then (10 years). I now publish a website that I output my essensce as a loving, contributing being. I have found my purpose in many ways, but it was always acting out of love that was the key. And a bit of humor - I am still working at the same job that I really don’t care for - how I get joy out of the job is contributing in a positive way to everyone I possibly can.

GT
Brian Kim Says:
June 3rd, 2009 at
Nana,

Thanks for dropping by and telling your friends and for your kind words. I really appreciate it.

With regard to your question, don’t worry if the answer isn’t coming. Sometimes the answer comes when you use your conscious brain power but when that doesn’t work, don’t try to force it even more. Let go, get on with your life, and let your subconscious work on it. Then, it will give you the answer in a “flash” of insight, when you’re driving, walking, taking a shower, etc. That’s when you’ll know. That’s when you’ll have that moment.

GT,

Thanks for dropping by and sharing your story and thoughts. I really appreciate it. It’s great to hear from different angles.
10 Articles That Changed My Life : NASHP.COM Says:
June 20th, 2009 at
[…] #4 – Brian Kim’s How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Life Coaching Online Says:
July 17th, 2009 at
What a really brilliant article and one that I hope that you don’t mind that I share with my students as they will just love this.

You are right when you say that people do not tell you how to find what you love…

Well now they have Brian.

Thanks so much and i will check ut your other stuff as well.

Tim
Sergey Says:
July 28th, 2009 at
Hello, Brian.
Do you have an article answering the question “How to find what woman you would love to be with?”
Brian Kim Says:
July 29th, 2009 at
Hi Tim,

Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it. Feel free to share it with your students (please link to this site or tell them about it).

Hi Sergey,

I currently do not have an article dealing with that topic. Maybe one in the future!
TimoT Says:
August 7th, 2009 at
Awesome article…… for years, i have been telling ‘confused’ friends “Make a list of things you’re good at and another list of things you love- then cross reference and you should find the career and life choice for you.” The problem for me is that i never made the lists for myself. As a result, i slaved away in school for 3 years as an adult student with a full time job, and wound up with a worthwhile but ultimately unfulfilling new career. MUH!
I am planning to resign my current position this upcoming week. I’m already thinking i need another position, using my degree. I don’t want to do this!
I printed out your interests/skills sheet and am going to finally fill it out for myself. I believe i already know “what i want to do.” But there may be other things i can discover from the lists that i can do while i work towards the big goal.
Am so so glad i stumbled across your website- i actually laughed out loud when i read the section about making the lists. What have i been waiting for?
All the best,
Tim
Jason F. Says:
August 13th, 2009 at
First and foremost, I really want to stress how grateful I am that you have built a site that is extremely helpful to those of us that are stuck in this part of life where things just don’t make sense. Trying to find what one loves to do especially when you have reached the point in life (29 years old, father, unhappy/unemployed Hvac helper due to the economy) where you just want to give up and just make due with the life you currenty have. This article hit so close to home that it actually is going to make me take all of the steps necessary to finally find what I love to do thoroughly. I’m going to make sure that I read this article atleast once a week so that I can achieve clarity and so on. Sorry if this response is a bit vague or not organized properly. I guess I’m just really excited that I found something that will finally HELP ME lol. Again, thank you very much this article is highly appreciated. K E E P U P T H E G O O D WORK ! ! !

Sincerely
JasonF.
Brian Kim Says:
August 19th, 2009 at
TimoT,

Thanks for sharing.

I know we’ve all been in that situation before. The advice is right there but we don’t take it. But I’m glad you are and I hope it will give you the direction you seek.

Jason F.

You’re very welcome!

I’m glad the article was able to help!

And I’m even more glad that you have that fire, that passion to thoroughly apply everything in it.
The Monthly Special Offer for August 2009 » The Definitive Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
August 30th, 2009 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Reader Success Story: If You Met Her 10 Years Ago, You Would’ve Thought She Was On a Sad and Painful Path of Despair » The Definitive Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
September 14th, 2009 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Joe Says:
October 2nd, 2009 at
Nice article. I know what I’d love to do. But unfortunately I found it when I was too old (I’m 30). If your dream is to open a flower shop then you can go with it, but if what you want to do requires to study hard and making a lots of experience… then you can’t. It’s a very competitive world, you cannot have a delay of 10 or 15 years.. it’s all so sad.. I’d rather keep my dull and boring job… at least I have one.
Thank you for your article, in any case.
Brian Kim Says:
October 14th, 2009 at
Hi Joe,

Thanks for dropping by.

I’ll just say this - and it’s from Henry Ford:

“Whether you think you can or you can’t - you’re right”
Caroline Says:
November 16th, 2009 at
Thanks for this. I’m gonna do this, copy and paste it so I can look at it even when I’m not online, and go through it. Its true, there are so many people who say ‘follow your dreams’ ‘do what your heart tells you’ like its something EVERYBODY KNOWS, and you must be a sad ignorant fool if you don’t, but I don’t, and I’ve been looking for some guidance. Hopefully, this is it. Out of all the trillions of pages on the net that I’ve been Stumbling around to find stuff, information, I knew there had to be something somewhere - the digital version of infinite monkeys on typewriters! Not just Shakespeare, but every thing else as well.
Brian Kim Says:
November 20th, 2009 at
Hi Caroline,

I’m glad you found this article and I hope it will prove to be the guidance you need as it has for several others.
Mark Says:
December 14th, 2009 at
Thanks to this article I have just discovered my true purpose– or rather uncovered the purpose that was buried deep inside. Your method really worked for me… I feel so pumped up about my future because I know exactly what I will become. Thank you!
Adam Zillin Says:
January 4th, 2010 at
It’s 6am here in Tokyo and I’ve yet to sleep. The reason is I can’t. And there are reasons for that too, excuses even. Nevertheless, I’m glad I found this link from Hill to Kim. Glad also to have spent the last hour reading through the posts.

What to do? My passion has always related to cars, motorsport and speed. All through my life I have been involved at some level and yet for some reason I feel dirty when I mention to people I always wanted to be a Formula One driver. Even to this day it’s my dream but at 32 years of age it is what the world would define as impossible, literally. I know this too; even Ford would have had to agree, should he think at 60 years of age that this type of move was still possible for him.

So I shifted my thinking. For obvious reasons, building a business became crucial the more I thought about it ( I am not a company man or employee by any definition of the words ) and my mind naturally gravitated towards a business related to cars that involved people in a social way. It makes complete and utter sense to me and would be a stunning smash hit in this country if I can find the strength of will to overcome my inhibitions, doubt and procrastinations to get it moving. I know it will succeed.

Problem is, is it really what my heart set out to accomplish or am I settling for second best knowing what I originally dreamed of is completely out of reach.

And is something ever completely out of reach? I believe this to be true simply due to age and the constraints it cripples us with, financially, physically and mentally.

Trust me, if I was given the opportunity to show how fast I can go in any car you like and on any track you put me - even if I’ve never seen them before, I guarantee I will outshine whoever the “works” driver you have may be. How do I know this? I have done it so many times I’ve lost count.

Does that help me achieve something that is fundamentally impossible?

No but I don’t think having a backup goal is a bad thing, especially when age is a factor.
nancy m Says:
January 4th, 2010 at
THANK-YOU!!!!
Brian Kim Says:
January 27th, 2010 at
Mark,

That’s so great to hear. You’re very welcome!

Adam,

Very interesting post. Thank you so much for sharing something personal with us. All I can say is listen to that inner voice. It’s usually right.

Nancy,

You’re very welcome!
Erin Says:
January 30th, 2010 at
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that I had found your website a while back and it truly is a large reason why I changed my career path. I now do hair and it was the absolute best decision I have ever made. Thank you so much for helping me. I send this website to friends all of the time and I also read it occasionally for motivation!!

Thank you!!
Reader Success Story: He Uncovered the Purpose That Was Buried Deep Inside. He’s Doing It. End of Story. » The Definitive Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
February 1st, 2010 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Brian Kim Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at
Hi Erin,

You’re very welcome!

And thank you so much for dropping by and sharing your success with us! I really appreciate it.

The success stories just keep on rolling in.

And thank you for spreading the love as well!
Shay Says:
March 11th, 2010 at
I want to thank you, so very much, for the clear, concise manner this article is written in.

The question you’re addressing is something that has been bothering me since I left high school (not oh so long ago, but long enough to wonder where my life is going).

I read through, pencil and paper in hand. You have just helped me realize that something I thought was too ‘lame’ to be what I loved is where my interests truly lie.

It takes all types to make the world go ’round. What I love to do may not be as exciting as a career in skydiving photography or the like, but it’s what will make me happy, and that’s all that should matter.
vesti srbija Says:
March 15th, 2010 at
Thanks buddy. That was very,very deep.
Parag Says:
March 17th, 2010 at
hi Brian,

Thank you so much for this wonderful write up. Thankfully I came across this at the correct time. I was working in IT for last 10 years and had started not liking the work I ws doing for past few months. I have quit my job and was searching on internet about how to find things that Iwould like doing and then I read this article. I have read it half way thru now I am in process of listing down skills and interests and will read complete article once I am done with it.

I have also shared this link with my friends and I am sure they too would like it. Once again many thanks.

Regards

Parag
Brian Kim Says:
March 18th, 2010 at
Hi Shay,

You’re very welcome!

I’m glad the article has helped you realize that special something that YOU want to do.

Vesti,

You’re very welcome as well.

Parag,

You’re very welcome too. I’m glad you’re one of the few that actually DO!

And thank you very much for sending the link to your friends as well.
Reader Success Story: She Never Felt Energy, Hope, Enthusiasm Like This Before » The Definitive Self Improvement Blog - BrianKim.net Says:
March 21st, 2010 at
[…] How to Find What You Love to Do […]
Andri Fitriyadi Says:
April 7th, 2010 at
Dear Brian Kim,

I already focused my energy and time to a specific destination: as scientific and technical tools provider. I decide to resign from previous company and start to build my own company. The problem is, since I got a big passion to be an entrepreneur, I didn’t consider about my financial safety net. When my own company is running, the financial resources was drained to covering both family and company needs when order from customers is not good as I imagine before. At least, I speak to myself, I give up, and trapped again in a new company as employee. I fell a traumatic experience to follow my dream works and activities. Do you have any solution to solving this traumatic problem?
Brian Kim Says:
April 12th, 2010 at
Hi Andri,

It’s very common for that to happen to entrepreneurs. What did you gain from that experience? How has that made you a better person? What can you do next time to get better results?

Ask yourself better questions about the experience and you’ll get better answers.
dany Says:
June 11th, 2010 at
Great and inspiring article.
I’m in medschool and I’m constantly thinking of quiting. I’m always wondering if this is the right path for me, if this my calling. I always imagine that I should find that something that will make me special and fulfilled and why not famous.
I sometimes remember, that even before starting med school I was having doubs, but I got into this snowball effect from: the people around me being awed that a medic will be in the family, or the special place they held me just for wanting to go there. Of course my parents were excited, and now they are totally against me, when I talk about leaving this college (even if they are not doctors themselves).
Confidence is also a big problem for me, I sometimes imagine doing something than I start looking for excuses.

A question: What do we do if one of our goals, are not in alingment with our skills. For example, i like to talk and tell stories, and make people laugh. But in front of strangers or when I’m nervous I have a terrible stutters. Does that exclude for example being a comedian or maybe that’s just a gap I have to bridge ? Or if imagine myself making movies, but have absolutely no experience with cameras?
Brian Kim Says:
June 15th, 2010 at
Hi dany,

Try finding the right medium for your skills. If not in person, how about via writing? You could also choose to find a way to bridge that gap as well.

If you find yourself lacking in a certain department, just team up with someone who’s great there.
Michelle Says:
June 21st, 2010 at
Everyone:
In terms of finding what you love to do, this is a random thing you could fit into your schedule too:

http://www.oneweekjob.com/program/

Brian, I may have contacted you to vote for me, I’m not sure. However, I wanted to thank you because it is your work: This article, other articles, the M.I.T.s of the day, etc. that has educated and cultivated hope/faith in my brain to lead me to this opportunity. If you’ll take time to look through the site, you’ll see that I won the program and am starting my journey next Monday. Feel free to follow me and comment on blog posts (will be set up on the site sometime this week), in which I’m sure I’ll be mentioning you and your article at least once.

I believe “finding one’s passion and living it” is more than probable. It may have different meanings for different people, and may manifest differently in their lives, but IT. IS. REAL.
I’m now going to buy your books; I meant to do that a few years ago.

If you don’t know what to do, do SOMETHING. Don’t just sit there. Exposure is the beginning of something lovely, in my humble opinion.

Thank you for everything you do Brian,
Michelle
Brian Kim Says:
June 21st, 2010 at
Hi Michelle,

You’re quite welcome! I’m glad the material on this site has been of service to you.

Congratulations on your new journey!

I can’t wait to see where it leads you.

Keep in touch.

Due to the 500+ articles and comments being left everyday on them, I no longer have the time to respond to each one so I have disabled the comments section. If you wish to comment on articles and interact with me and other readers, you may want to sign up for The BrianKim.net Inner Circle. Invites are only given once a month and you can get more information by signing up for the VIP Newsletter.

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