"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." - Judy Garland
Feeling passion for your work can often make the difference between a beautifully finished project and a half-baked result. Think about something you are passionate about and something that you had to do regardless of whether you were interested in it at all - whether a job, an assignment a project around the house.
Which did you work harder at? Which did you finish on time? Which did you feel proud of when you were done? Which made the time fly by, no matter how much effort you were exerting?
With high school students, passion can be the difference between a student who graduates and one who doesn't, a student who turns their culminating (senior) project into a launch pad for their future and one who barely squeaks by, or a student who is excited to continue on their path to college and one who only feels an obligation to continue their education.
More importantly, having a solid set of goals linked to their passion while they select their college will increase their chances of succeeding at a higher level of education.
Not to mention, understanding their passions is something that will serve them long after graduation as well. According to research that appeared in the Harvard Business Review (2007), self-awareness is the number one capability for leaders to develop.
How can you help your students find their passions?
- Encourage them to experience new things - their calling may be something they never thought of, or something that is only covered outside of the classroom.
- Ask them to explore small seeds of interest, even if they fall outside of their comfort zone. If they are drawn to the debate team even though they've never tried public speaking, encourage them to learn more about the topic.
- Simply ask them what they enjoy doing most. Even if it is not necessarily something that can be easily translated into a career, try to see the fundamentals of the activities or subjects they enjoy. Try to go deeper into why they enjoy what they enjoy.
- If they have zeroed in on their passion, ask them to expand on it. If their passion is being the football quarterback, don't have them stop there. Have them explore related topics, like sports fitness, weight training, sports journalism, or coaching. Help them see how their passion can grow in a number of surprising directions.
Having a focused passion is not only important to a student's development, it is also something that colleges look for when accepting the incoming class. How can a student stand out in the application pools?
There are 26,000 high schools in the country - that means there are 26,000 homecoming queens, 26,000 student council presidents, and 26,000 valedictorians.
Some think that doing as many things as possible is the answer - that being involved in the most activities and taking all of the hardest classes is the right route. However, in truth, showing one or two passions often makes you stand out from the pack.
Not only that, but having one or two clear passions will motivate your students to think outside of the box when it comes to activities. If a student isn't sure what they are interested in, they might join the groups that are most available to them - yearbook, sports, debate club, prom committee, cheerleading.
If she/he does have a clear interest - women's rights - they will become involved in activities outside of their high school that are more impressive and that show motivation and true interest. Before you know it, their application will mention a women's group they started in their school, protests they attended, and petitions that they spearheaded to change unfair school policies.
The most powerful aspect of passion is that it gives all people the motivation, inspiration, and driving force to do extraordinary things. Students are not going to do amazing things just to get into the college of their choice, and they aren't going to ace a large assignment just because someone asked them to complete it by a certain date.
Passion is what takes us above and beyond ordinary expectations and passion is what makes us excited for our futures. Sparking student passion by encouraging them to follow and expand on their true interests and making them self-aware of their talents, learning's and gifts may be the single most important step you can take toward molding a successful student and content adult.
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