Finding Your Calling
In school, we’re asked the question: “What do you want to become?”
But rarely are we taught how to explore, what it means to feel aligned, or that it’s okay not to know yet.
In India, especially, we’re expected to choose our future before we’ve truly discovered who we are. And when we don’t “figure it out” early, it’s seen as confusion — or worse, failure.
What if not knowing yet isn’t a bad thing?
What if it’s just the first step to figuring out who you really are?
What is a Calling, Really?
A “calling” isn’t always a grand passion. It’s not one fixed job title.
It’s something that gives you energy. That makes you feel useful. That pulls you in, even when it’s hard.
Psychologist Michael Steger, a leading researcher on purpose, says:
“A calling is something that feels meaningful to you and contributes to something larger than yourself.”
Studies show that students who perceive a sense of calling have greater motivation, mental well-being, and academic satisfaction (Steger et al., 2010).
A 3-Step Framework: Explore, Evolve, Exit
There’s no single formula to discover your path, but this framework can help:
1. Explore
Try things. Many things.
Don't wait until you’re "sure" — clarity comes from doing.
- Take up passion projects
- Shadow someone at work
- Join clubs, volunteer, learn online
Ask: “What energizes me?” not “What looks good on my resume?”
Real story: Thomas Oppong writes how switching from engineering to media, and later to writing full-time, was only possible because he kept exploring different formats that sparked joy — blogs, podcasts, visual storytelling.
2. Evolve
Stick with what you enjoy long enough to grow in it.
- Push through the early discomfort
- Embrace boredom — it's part of mastery
- Ask: “Do I want to get better at this?”
"I went into tech, spending 15 years at a software company. I kept writing. Without knowing it, I was building the foundation for a career in writing."
— Anna Burgess Yang, writer and former software executive
3. Exit (Mindfully)
Sometimes, the brave thing is to let go.
- If something drains you constantly — not just because it’s hard, but because it feels wrong
- If staying costs you your peace, identity, or joy
- Ask: “Am I quitting because it’s hard, or because it’s not mine?”
Steve Jobs famously dropped out of college — not because he didn’t value learning, but because he wanted to design his own path. He audited calligraphy classes that would later influence Apple’s design philosophy. Quitting led him to alignment.
Signs You’re Moving Closer to Your Calling
- You feel excited to learn more — even when it’s challenging
- You lose track of time when doing it
- You care about doing it well — not for rewards, but because it matters to you
- You imagine doing it even if it didn’t impress anyone
- You're okay starting small, failing, and learning as you go
Normalize Career Changes & Life Pivots
In a society that glorifies early clarity and perfect timelines, we forget: Most people change careers multiple times. And that’s not a crisis. It’s growth.
According to a 2021 LinkedIn report, 60% of professionals have considered switching careers, and 29% actually do it by their mid-30s.
Even in India, platforms like The Ken and YourStory regularly feature people who left engineering, law, or medicine to build careers in art, teaching, social work, or startups.
Help Students Discover Their Path — Without Pressure
Here’s how parents, educators, and mentors can help:
- Create safe spaces to explore without judgment
- Focus less on “What will you become?” and more on “What lights you up?”
- Celebrate effort, not just results
- Allow detours, breaks, and do-overs — because purpose isn’t a straight road
- Teach that quitting can be wise when done with awareness
Final Thought: Your Calling Might Be Waiting Where You Least Expect It
Sometimes you don’t find your calling. Sometimes it finds you — while learning a skill online, having a conversation, or failing at something you thought you wanted.
The pressure to “figure it out” can make you ignore what’s quietly working.
Let’s stop rushing. Let’s give children/students room to notice, explore, and shift without shame. Because finding your calling isn’t about getting it right the first time.
It’s about staying curious long enough to meet yourself on the way.
Disclaimer
I’m not an educationist, therapist, or academic expert.
I’m simply someone who’s been a student — and seen the silent pressures students carry.
I created The Unpressured Project an initiative by Students of India not to preach solutions, but to ask better questions. To listen. To share stories. To create space for voices that are often ignored in conversations around education, success, and mental health.
If you're a student, teacher, parent, or just someone who remembers how heavy “expectation” can feel — this space is for you.
💛 If this piece made you pause, reflect, or feel a little less alone — you can support the project here:
Thank you for helping build a space where students feel seen — beyond marks, pressure, or the expectations of others.
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