I believe everyone is constantly searching for their interest — some might be searching for hobbies, others for a life passion, and some, like me, for a fulfilling career.
So far, my search for a fulfilling career has been an unsuccessful endeavour, I feel envious of my friends and my partner who have found theirs. They always seem to have a clear sense of direction, knowing exactly why they continue in their careers and consistently putting in effort to achieve their goals.
Browsing through job hunting websites, and working at my current job, nothing either piques my interest or holds it for long. I am starting to believe that perhaps, I am one of the many who simply do not have a passion for work.
A few days ago, while working and listening to a podcast, one of the show’s titles caught my attention, it was a podcast hosted by a Taiwanese Psychologist, called ‘On Your Psychology!’ (哇塞心理學). In that episode, the host explored the topic of whether passion or interest is found or cultivated. I became completely absorbed in this episode, feeling thrilled as I might find a new answer on how to gain a passion or an interest.
Throughout the 37-minute podcast, I couldn’t help but notice the host repeatedly emphasizing the need for having the right mindset when pursuing our interests or passions. However, before I explain why having the right mindset is important, we first need to understand the theory of interest. The theory of interest is divided into two categories:
Fixed Theory: People have specific areas of natural interest, and these interests are inherent and in limited amounts.
Growth Theory: Interests are slowly developed and deepened through time-consuming effort, experience, and education.
With these two theories in mind, which one is closer to the truth? Let’s apply these theories to another aspect of our lives: love or relationship. What kind of successful relationships are more common in our daily lives? The one that feels destined, like love at first sight? Or one cultivated and maintained through mutual respect, understanding, care, and love? From my observations and the statements in the podcast, most successful relationships are nurtured through the effort of both parties.
People focused on finding their interests are believers in Fixed Theory, myself included, because we always think that we need to find “The One” interest that belongs to us, similar to those who are seeking their destined loved one. The reveal shocked me as I am a non-believer in love at first sight and always aware that a successful relationship requires time, effort, and love to thrive. But I never expected that my belief in interest would counter my long-time disbelief in love at first sight. I was unaware that ‘interest’ would also require the same effort from me, I had always been fixated on ‘finding my interests.’
According to the Research Done by Paul A. O’Keefe and his team, Fixed Theory believers expect interest to be fully formed once discovered. They believe their interest will provide an endless source of motivation and expect fewer difficulties in pursuing it. In contrast, Growth Theory believers anticipate challenges in the development of their interests. Growth Theory believers also show greater openness and willingness to explore topics beyond their existing interests, unlike Fixed Theory believers. This difference stems from the Fixed Theory belief that interests are inherent and fixed. As a result, Fixed Theory believers are less likely to explore new areas, which limits the development of new interests.
With the entirely different belief on Interest, the research shows that Fixed theory believers lose their motivation and give up their newfound interest sooner than Growth theory believers whenever they encounter difficulties. This is because they expect to have endless motivation from their ‘true interest’. If they start losing motivation, they interpret it as a sign that this newfound interest is not ‘The One’ for them. On the other hand, Growth theory believers have a more realistic expectation about pursuing an interest making their interest more resilient in front of challenges.
This is why the host consistently highlighted the importance of having the right mindset when developing a new interest. With realistic expectations and the right attitude, your newfound interest could persevere rather than crumble even when facing challenges. You will be more prepared mentally when facing upcoming difficulties because you are anticipated to face one eventually. The right mindset helps you see challenges as opportunities to deepen your interest, rather than as obstacles blocking your path.
A Little Note from Me
The next article will be about the stages of interest development! (click to read the next article!)
The information I received from the podcast was helpful and led me to read up on the related journals. Recently I felt the urge to create a piece of writing or maybe even a poem but it always remained a thought until I encountered the podcast. The reveals encouraged me to write down my first piece of article and share it with others. Firstly, as a way to start engaging in my newfound interest, to symbolise the start of nurturing and growing my interest. Secondly, I also want to share with people who are like me, who are also currently stuck in the turmoil of “Finding the Interest” or “ Finding The Passion”, hope my article could give you some new ways of thinking.
PS: Apologize in advance, the psychology podcast was hosted in Chinese language, although I included the link, some of you probably wouldn't understand. Sorry. ＞﹏＜
