By Silvia Gonzalez, PR/Media Coordinator
People are always telling us to find our purpose in life; but, how do we do that? Your purpose is your personal mission statement; it is how you plan to make an impact in the world. It takes time to find and is usually found through trial and error. It can be stressful to find a career that is meaningful to you as a college student, especially if you haven’t found your passion yet. If you are currently trying to find your purpose (like me), or if you are just curious in strengthening your purpose, here are a few tips.
Identify your strengths.
When asked what our biggest strength is, we usually have a hard time answering. The truth is- everyone is good at something, and finding that strength is a crucial step in finding our purpose. You may be a natural leader ready to take on any project. Maybe you are a good listener that is very empathetic. It is what we do with these intrinsic strengths that make all the difference. Analyzing these positive attributes guides us in finding an industry or job where we can make a difference.
For example, I have always been a storyteller. I love bringing people together through stories, jokes and gatherings. My extroverted self enjoys building relationships through meaningful moments. Believe it or not, this strength made me fall in love with the power of social media marketing. Social media is all about telling stories visually and conceptually, all while growing communities and attracting new audiences to your platform. I have had professional experiences with social media execution for brands and I am confident that I want to pursue a career in this industry. While my strengths align with this industry, finding this career path was not easy. Identifying my strengths allowed me to explore different industries and find one in which I felt I could thrive in.
What are your interests?
It is always a good idea to explore your interests. Maybe you are interested in something you have never done before. Life is too short to not try new things and step outside of your comfort zone. We are conditioned to study one thing and stick to it forever. However, college is the perfect time to try new things and explore different interests.
When I first learned about Inigo Communications, I applied with no second thought. Maybe if I had given it more thought, I would have decided not to apply since I am not a communications student. However, joining Inigo Communications has been one of the most rewarding experiences in college so far. Being a Public Relations Coordinator at Inigo has given me the opportunity to work in social media execution, which has strengthened my passion for social media. If something catches your attention that you have never done before, I encourage you to try it out. Before you know it, you might have found a new passion that was just waiting to be explored.
How do you want to make a difference?
This is one of the hardest questions out there, but it is the most important one in this process. It is crucial to remember that making a change is not always supposed to be a massive difference. Making progress in your work can be as little as: making others smile, growing communities, mentoring others, etc. It is how you make your mark in your work and how you transmit your passion to others that matters. If you are passionate about helping others land their dream job, maybe working in Human Resources would be an amazing opportunity to make a difference in your career.
I personally want to make a difference by growing and maintaining the community brands have with consumers through social media by sharing engaging and inspiring content. Once you identify how you want to make a difference during your work day, finding your purpose does not seem as impossible as it might have seemed before.
Finally, I do not guarantee that by following these steps and answering all these questions you will find your passion and that your soul-searching process is over. It takes time, experiences and mistakes to find your purpose and passions. However, I can promise you that once you find the why to your what, your job will always feel like a personal passion project.