As with many things, it depends upon whether or not you are wealthy. If you were wealthy as a child and you are still a member of a wealthy family (meaning that you do not have to apply to jobs, interview for jobs or go to any workplace in order to live the same lifestyle you had as a child), then you are free to pursue your passion as a young adult without needing to develop your talents first. For everyone else, consider what is presented below:
- If you have an age-dependent, professional-level natural talent such as an aptitude for certain sports, performing arts, music, etc., then obviously follow those talents. If you are attending college on scholarship based upon your age-dependent natural talent, then make sure to earn a degree (either in person or online) as a backup in case your natural talent-based plans don’t work out the way you envision. We all know of athletes who suffered career ending injuries or vocalists who experienced vocal cord injuries. That’s why you still need your degree to serve as a hedge against poverty. Additionally, here are a couple of things people with natural talent should acknowledge: a. Regardless of talent, men and women still need to be receptive to the advice offered by experienced experts (aka be coachable) and b. Talented individuals need to deliver years of sustained hard work (be committed to a consistent training schedule) in order to transition from being a person with “raw, natural talent” into a person who is a “talented professional.”
- If you do not fall into the category described above AND you are not planning to attend college, then we recommend you create what Overton Leadership Associates calls an Individually-Designed Plan for Success (IDPS). An IDPS is a written plan that spans several years, contains specific required actions and milestones plus has a timeline that guides an individual toward a desired level of success. A great way to start that process is to obtain a copy of Overton Leadership Associates’ Free Download called ‘Alternatives to College.’ This 1-page document lists more than 50 job titles that can be used as a foundation for an IDPS. While any of those job titles can lead to success, getting an entry-level job after high school graduation and never upgrading your credentials makes working with that one company for an entire career highly unlikely. That’s why we recommend creating an IDPS and not just getting a job. You will need to identify and make contact with subject matter experts (plus any friends and family members who are subject matter experts) in the career field that interests you and schedule meetings with them in order to create an IDPS. Your written IDPS should consist of education, training, and experience requirements and should be developed over the course of several meetings with the experts. You may ask, ‘Why does the IDPS need to be a written document, can’t I just keep it in my head?’ Here are two reasons for having a written IDPS: a. Just as a university curriculum functions as a written action plan for college students, your IDPS should serve as the written action plan for those who choose not to attend college and b. A written IDPS is more likely to keep an individual accountable. Once your IDPS is developed and if you feel a connection with one of the experts, then consider asking him/her to be one of your mentors. Here’s the bottom line: At Overton Leadership Associates, we firmly believe that an individual can become a responsible leader and/or a successful business owner without going to college, but we believe that you should first create a written IDPS. We recommend that young adults ages 17-25 who are not heading to college create an IDPS as soon as possible. In the event you actually create and implement an IDPS, you may be wondering how to determine when your IDPS has run its course. The ability to provide for yourself and your family at the success level you specified in your IDPS means that you have, in fact, manufactured talents where none previously existed. Therefore, your IDPS is now complete. If you still have a burning passion for some other career, then we recommend using nights and weekends (aka off time) to pursue your passion. If and when the income from your passion exceeds that from your “day job,” then you are in the enviable position to change careers and chase your passion.
- If none of the above categories applies to you AND you are planning to attend college (or already taking college courses) in order to earn an undergraduate degree, then you are obviously using a college curriculum to create the skill set necessary to launch a successful career. For young adults ages 17-25 who fall into this category, Overton Leadership Associates recommends that students initially enroll in college courses associated with their varied interests in order to eventually discover and hone in on their talents. Once young adults in this category identify their talents, then they should develop those talents and leadership skills through further collegiate study, active participation in student organizations, and eventually job performance to the level that people who are knowledgeable in that field (subject matter experts) describe you as, “highly-skilled, a leader, talented or competent.” If you are talented or competent in something of importance and continue to gain knowledge, experience and leadership skills, then you should be able to earn a living plus have a rewarding career. After you have used your talents to secure the financial ability to take care of yourself and your family, yet still have a burning passion for something else, then we recommend using nights and weekends (aka off time) to pursue your passion. If and when the income from your passion exceeds that from your “day job,” then you are in the enviable position to change careers and chase your passion.
Achieving success does not become easier as a result of your getting older. That’s why Overton Leadership Associates believes it is important for all young adults ages 17-25 to get a Real College Plan Career Field Interest Survey completed as soon as possible. Real College Plan Career Field Interest Survey is designed to help young adults identify their interests and guide them toward successful careers based upon their talents. Schedule yours today at overtonleaders.com/Real-College-Plan/
At this point, it is important to acknowledge that a small number of individuals have the trifecta, meaning that their interest is both a talent and a passion. Examples include world-renowned mathematicians; some seasoned educators; certain professional athletes and entertainers; a few public sector and private sector leaders; some artists; a number of celebrity chefs; select aircraft pilots; gifted politicians, etc. Conversely, realize that some people possess unknown natural talents, yet have little or no desire to pursue them once they have been identified. Hopefully, these individuals pursue their desired talents leading to careers that satisfy them.
Let’s return to the original question, ‘Pursuing Your Talents, Interests or Passion: For young adults searching for a career, which one is most important?’ Understand that Talents, Interests, and Passion are all important. Interests are the broadest area while your passion is a subset of interests. If you have a natural, professional-level talent from which you can make a living, then pursue that talent. If you are wealthy, then you have the freedom to choose your passion right away. If you are not wealthy or do not have a natural, professional-level talent from which you can make a living, then you should develop at least one talent that will enable you to earn a living.
In reality, the majority of young adults are not wealthy or born with professional-level talent. Therefore, most young adults follow a traditional path to success that requires a deliberate talent development process. At Overton Leadership Associates, we believe that this process is executed using either a written Individually-Designed Plan for Success (IDPS), meaning achieving success without earning a college degree, or by completing a prescribed college curriculum resulting in a College Degree-based Plan for Success (CDPS). The IDPS has infinite options, but a large number of dead ends; the CDPS provides a predictable pathway, but could result in excessive student loan debt. While either method can result in success, neither method guarantees success. If you agree with our philosophy and choose either the IDPS route or the CDPS route, be sure that every decision you make aligns with and supports your plan. That’s why in aviation we say, ‘Plan the flight, and then fly the plan.’ Stated another way, if you took all the time to develop a great plan, then why do anything that prevents the plan from coming to fruition?
Closing thought…Regardless of how you decide to earn a living, keep in mind that information technology and the global employment environment will impact your ability to earn a living to a certain degree over the course of your career. Ultimately, success rests with the individual. Now, it’s time to pursue it!
Herb