On July 4, 1776, in Pennsylvania, 56 delegates signed the Declaration of Independence. Why? Passion. They were passionate about their political representation, and they were even more passionate about separating themselves from Great Britain. 

This passion has been a driving force behind America ever since. The problem we face is not our inability to be passionate. Rather, too many Americans find themselves in places that fail to spark that passion. Many Americans are not serving in roles where they can have the greatest impact and personally flourish.

After graduating from high school in 2017, I thought I was ready for college. That’s what you’re supposed to do after high school, right? Unfortunately, however, I didn’t yet have a passion. I had a vast array of interests but nothing that stood out to me as a career. After stepping foot on my college campus, I soon realized I was not alone.

This isn’t unique to my generation (Gen Z) even. This afflicts the entirety of the American workforce. A substantial number of Americans say they lack a passion for the work they do. With unemployment rising, Strada Education Network conducted a national poll discovering 35% of the American workforce would change their field of work if they lost their job.

“They stay where they are out of security, not passion.”

That amounts to more than 57 million Americans who are working in a job that doesn’t align with their passion, doing work, they are not passionate about continuing. They stay where they are out of security, not passion. 

If you’re like me, you don’t know what career to pursue because you haven’t discovered that passion yet. A list of “that would be fun” jobs lingers in your mind, but how can you narrow the search? I think the passion-project of Tim Berners-Lee is a good place to start: the World Wide Web. I understand however that this is daunting and the internet contains a multitude of information to browse through. 

My suggestion: check out an online course. This will be easier, more effective, and more enjoyable. Nearly every career is represented by dozens of introductory courses giving a glimpse into the field. Many of these courses have been carefully compiled by industry professionals and can take something from “that would be fun” to “I will flourish here.”

My challenge to you is to explore. Explore the world of online learning to discover your next passion. America is a country of passionate and driven individuals, who want to better themselves and those around them. Let’s rediscover our individual passions to make an overall more passionate American workforce.

Be a patriot. Find your passion. Take an online course.