Find Your Spark
Find Your Spark (2:08)
“Whatever you have in your heart, whatever you have a passion for, whatever it is you want to do, you can do it. It is possible. If you have the desire to do it and the passion and the work ethic, you can do it.”
1) The role models in the video explained that although you don’t need to have your entire future planned out, you should explore your passions. What passions do you have? How do you know they are your passions? Can you think of any careers where you could use these passions?
2) One role model told listeners that “whatever you have in your heart, whatever you have a passion for… You can do it. It is possible! If you have the desire to do it, and the passion, and the work ethic, you can do it!” What do you think might hold people back from reaching their goals? How can you overcome those stumbling blocks to reach your passion?
3) Listeners learned that they should always try something before deciding they don’t like it or that it is too scary. What have you tried recently that scared you? Did you end up liking it? Is this good advice? Why or why not?
4) One role model told us to, “Keep the door open. Don’t close any door. Explore absolutely everything!” What do you think this means? Can you think of a time in your life where you “kept a door open”? What happened?
5) Listeners learned that the things you are interested in can change over time. Can you think of something you were interested in when you were younger that doesn’t interest you anymore? Do you think that all of your current passions will remain your passions into adulthood? Why or why not?
6) The last role model left us with a powerful thought. She shared that when “a job is something that you are passionate about, it doesn’t feel like work.” Do you think this is true? Is there anything in your life (at school, a hobby, an afterschool activity) that you love so much it doesn’t feel like work?
Whatever you have in your heart, whatever you have a passion for, whatever it is you want to do, you can do it. It is possible. If you have the desire to do it and the passion and the work ethic, you can do it.
Follow your passion in your heart because in the end, it’s you who you have to look at, at the end of the day. And if you’re happy with what you’re doing, everything else will come.
Hold on to that natural exploration that’s in you. Don’t decide something isn’t for you or something is scary or something’s too big or too far. Give it a try first.
You don’t have to have it figured out. You don’t have to have a plan, but you do need to know what you love. And you know that that’s what’s going to make you happy, then that’s something that you should explore.
Don’t be afraid to try whatever career it is you’re thinking because a lot of times just in my communicating with young women, they’re told, “No, you can’t do that. That’s not going to be good for you. I don’t think you should do it.” And it’s not necessarily just a man telling you it could be your sister, your mother, your girlfriend, just because they’re looking at you and they think they know you. Only person know you is you.
Keep the door open. Don’t close any door. Explore absolutely everything. And you don’t just have to do that when you’re young. You can do that throughout your whole life. Everything changes. And what you’re interested in today may not be what you’re interested in tomorrow.
I have always been a big believer of marrying your skills with your passion because that’s when big things are done, when you’re so passionate that you’re willing to move mountains.
Look for your passions. See what lights a spark in you. What’s that thing that you are just so interested in that you want to learn more. After school has ended, after the class is over, you still just want to keep digging and find out more about. And think about the ways that you can turn that into something that you do full-time. Because when a job is something that you’re passionate about, it doesn’t feel like work. It just feels like you get to spend your days learning about exactly what you love.
Independent Learning Guide: This all-purpose guide can also be used by educators, parents, and mentors to jumpstart a valuable discussion about discovering and chasing your passions.
Classroom Lesson Plan: This step-by-step lesson plan is available to guide a more in-depth “before, during, and after” learning experience when viewing the video with students. This lesson plan is also suitable for use in after-school programs and other educational settings.
Use Empowerment Activities as a fun way to reinforce the video topic and build community with your students.
Fun Page Activity: What would you do if there were no limits? What would you become if you could become absolutely anything? Whether you imagine yourself working as a politician, running a marathon, or helping to solve climate change—no dream is too big. Just imagine what you could be in this inspiring fun page activity.