FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

What do you want to be?

What do you want to be?

If you don't know, you're on the right track, says Kalyakorn Naksompop - @Kalyakornn - an instructor at Stamford International University

 

I was asked to give an “inspiring” speech to high-school students from British Columbia International School visiting our campus last week. I tried to think back to my own high-school years. What was it like, beyond puppy love and stupid break-ups?
I remembered how my friends and I struggled as we pondered our future and what we wanted to be. I thought I had a passion for one thing, but then found out it wasn’t real. I tried many other things until I found my love for art. 
I had to fight with my dad to get into art, since he wanted me to be an economist or lawyer. He asked why I wanted to be an artist. I told him, “I don’t know.” I honestly didn’t know what to do with art. I just knew I loved it.
After high school I took a year off just to study for the Thai entrance exam, even though a famous art college in California had already accepted me. I wanted to get into a government-run Thai university so I could learn more about our society, something I’d missed by attending an international school. I finally got into the university I wanted.
After four years I graduated with an art degree, still not knowing what I wanted to do. I tried hosting TV and radio shows. I tried producing TV shows. It was fun, but I knew something was missing. I became a journalist at my dad’s suggestion, but I hated the job. It dragged me to the dark places in the world that I didn’t want to see, at least not then. 
Next I opened a company with my sister selling sculpture that we designed. It was fun and yet, still, something was missing.
Then one day a friend told me I’d make a great teacher. The idea just clicked! I decided to go for a master’s degree in education and I became a teacher. And I love my job! I’ve finally found my passion.
So that’s what I told the visiting students. I knew they too must be struggling to discover what they want to be. I told that being “lost” is normal for their age. 
For those who already have a set goal, awesome. Go for it. The rest, who are still confused, can just stop thinking about the future and focus on what they like or what they want right now.
The career they end up with might not even exist today. Who would have imagined 15 years ago that careers and fortunes would be built on creating social networks like Facebook and Twitter? 
So I told my young visitors, “Try different things. Ask yourself if you like math, science, art or anything outside school. Once you find what you like, just focus on that because, most of the time, the things you do better are things you love to do.”
People define happiness differently. You have to find what makes YOU happy. That’s how you find your passion.
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