Rediscovering Ambition for Change

Photo by Marc-Antoine Dubé on Unsplash

Have you ever started a goal with vigor, well-laid plans, and a vision but eventually lost interest soon or after a while? If so, you're in great company. However, there's hope to revitalize our goals and make a change no matter how long or deep of a rut we might have found ourselves in recently.  

According to Angela Duckworth's research from her book Grit, "very few people end up loving what they do for a living." Duckworth found that most people—not just in America but worldwide— find it easy to disengage from their work. Yet, our messaging usually encourages everyone to follow their passion and "do what you love." So, are we hypocrites for encouraging young people to follow their passions, or are we just incredibly out of touch with reality? As it turns out, neither. 

We encourage people to follow their passions because, as research shows, "people are enormously more satisfied with their jobs when they do something that fits their personal interests." Additionally, "people perform better at work when what they do interests them."

As we continue strategizing for lifestyle changes, work will be part of the changes we wish to see. But too often, we veer off in directions when we lose interest or get stuck in places that stifle our mental, emotional, and physical states. 

Can I be candid? At the moment, I'm of the latter group of people. I haven't lost interest, but I feel stuck in a place with work that doesn't feel as purposeful as it once did. Angela Duckworth has help and advice for both groups of people, whether like me or if you find yourself losing interest quickly. 

Duckworth uses science to find that "Passion for your work is a little bit of discovery, followed by a lot of development, and then a lifetime of deepening." So her formula works something like this: 

Discovery: At the start of an endeavor, we need encouragement and freedom to figure out what we enjoy. We need small wins. We need applause. Yes, we can handle a tincture of criticism and corrective feedback. Yes, we need to practice. But not too much and not too soon.

Development: "Remember that interests must be triggered again and again and again. Find ways to make that happen...Seek out other people who share your interests. Sidle up to an encouraging mentor. Whatever your age, over time your role as a learner will become a more active and informed one."

Lifetime Deepening: "If you want to stay engaged for more than a few years in any endeavor, you'll need to find a way to enjoy the nuances that only a true aficionado can appreciate."

So whether it's our work, lifestyle, or both we can revitalize or change, our genuine interests, and that can aid us in our quest for change.