Impact and Passion: Another Cheesy Guide on Finding Your “Dream Career”

“And now, what?” That was my question when I finished my internship at an organization that I had dreamed of joining. Five months later, after taking a proper break and reflecting on my future, I still found myself asking the same question: “What do I do now?”

It seems that my privileged circle of youngsters finishing their studies faces the same worry: finding purpose in our career.

In my case, I could say that university brought me a very decent range of experiences that made my CV stand out. I feel in a good position to easily get into graduate jobs, consultancy in the field o sustainability, of schemes alike. But, what for? I really want to maximise my impact and these options don’t seem to be enough. I seem to have different interests and I don’t find the perfect fit just yet.

After an incredibly busy year, I allowed myself to dedicate time to just rest. Reflecting on my past, present, and future, I would like to introduce you to a novel concept that I came up with while working online from Costa Rica:

The 2x2 Career Matrix

I made this simple diagram based on what I considered to be the most decisive and global metrics on “an ideal career”: impact and passion.

Impact

What do you work for? Is it just for sustaining yourself financially in exchange of labour that you’re proficient in? Is it an urgent need? Or is it that you just enjoy it? Basically, is there any reason beyond earning a salary that you work for?

When I talk about an impactful career, I refer to the influence of your actions on the triple-bottom-line of people, planet, and economy: what value are you bringing to the world?

Passion

Passion is that magical concept that schools prematurely ask 16-year-old kids to follow. Is something that one develops over time and thinking, over trial and error. In a nutshell, is what you could spend endless hours doing because you enjoy it so much that you don’t feel tired. For me, it could be writing blogs like these from time to time, while designing projects to overcome the climate crisis.

Now, let’s explain what my diagram means in a practical way, quadrant by quadrant:

1. Low passion and low impact: A waste of time

The one that you clearly want to avoid. This one doesn’t require much explanation: if you don’t have to work for subsisting, then working on something that you don’t like and doesn’t bring value to anyone is considered, by me, a waste of time. Life is short and limited. YOLO.

Few people would like to do so, but most struggle.

2. Low passion and high impact: A sacrifice

Doing something with a lot of impacts and no passion is a sacrifice. You are dedicating your life to helping and improving the lives of others, but you’re not enjoying it. It’s unpleasant in practice, but it’s brave and extremely solitary. This is a one-way relationship between others (could be people, could be nature, could be your outside world), and you.

3. High passion, low impact: Selfish

This is selfish. They are enjoying life without helping others; having a net negative impact on people’s and planet’s lives. For example, driving your 30m yacht on weekends and going hunting for fun while producing huge emissions and labour for yourself only.

4. High passion, high impact: An ideal career

This is the greatest sweet spot in life, as both passion and impact will bring you the most rewarding experiences, serendipities, and feelings. This is the dream; sustainable dreaming; sustainable happiness. When you find something that you are truly passionate about and align it with a cause that you care deeply about, you can make a meaningful impact on the world while also living a life that is true to who you are. This is a two-way relationship in which you enjoy life, secrete lots of serotonin while “working” towards your goals, and improve the lives of others.

For example, an engineer that loves investing and has an impact on providing with access to water to vulnerable communities; an artist changing people’s minds, inspiring, and promoting awareness; a human rights activist, etc.

Flaws of the matrix

This is a highly simplified, 2D version of life. In order to use it, one must set a clear definition of “passion” and “impact”, and, in order to use it, a metric system of these two concepts.

But, how?

Well, I do not have all the answers at all; not even for my own, certainly. Nonetheless, I find it useful to just try different things. In fact, I wrote this after waking up one day, in Costa Rica: not only I was travelling around the country, but also ended up travelling around my thoughts, experiences, and imagination immensely. Or when I was in high school, I joined a session of an environmental NGO because I was interested, which led to gaining awareness about other topics that I was not expecting in the first place.

Ask other people about their opinions and maybe you will find better questions for yourself, the same way I ask you to share yours with me.

*This blog was originally posted on carlosshanka.com *