The Julio Blog

I have looked everywhere for an answer. All I found was “find what interests you” or “figure out your strengths”. Then you realize you have many passions from being healthy, working out, reading, learning about finances. But where do I even start?

On the search for an answer, I found numerous different ways to narrow down my purpose, interests, and strengths. I have read, “What Color is Your Parachute” by Richard N. Bolles, learned from Elaine Welteroth in her MasterClass, and I reached out to mentors who shared similar mindsets. I found a handful of patterns everyone talked about.

Pattern 1: Discover strengths in stories

I had to dig deep to understand what everyone meant by strengths. Strengths are skills we had to naturally develop. For example, being Hispanic, there is a celebration every other weekend for some reason. As a kid, I met a lot of random people in short and quick sessions. I learned to listen actively, understand with empathy, and make an impression. Write out three different stories of times you had a goal, an obstacle you faced, how you solved overcame the obstacle, and what was the result? At the end, notice the verbs you used.

There are many more ways to discover strengths, but that will be for another post.

Pattern #2: Do not focus on interests, focus on what persists

I learned to not focus on interests. Interests are like shiny objects that can come and go. These short-term passions change by the month. You may even have a long list of interests if you love exploring and trying new things. They could give you a start, but do not go into a rabbit hole… yet.

Instead, focus on super annoyances and non-negotiables. This might sound crazy but hear me out. Super annoying problems are those that really break your heart. Whether it is plastic in oceans or the DJ remixing songs that cringe. These problems give you a list of how you can improve the world. Non-negotiables are things you have made time for(or have been working towards) for the past five years. When planning your week or day, what is something you absolutely need. I say five years because it is enough time to give you expertise in those fields and if it has came this far then you have an interest in the area. Having breakfast the last five years does not count because it goes beyond five years. So what really annoys you? When you close your eyes, what have you been working towards the last five years? Ask yourself why for each non-negotiable.

Pattern #3: More money, more problems

Freedom is the name of the game for most of us. That is the goal. Making more salary does not equal freedom. Having money does.

Let me explain, if you were making a million dollars a year, you might be in a high position or running a business. That also probably means you are constantly busy with places to be and decisions to make. This puts you in the position of responsibility for your resources like time, energy, and money. I learned if I want full-control of your resources- doing what I want, when I want, with whom I want- then I cannot focus on just the going salary for the job market. Instead, I need to find positions to leverage my strengths, solve annoyances, and build upon those non-negotiables. How can you use what you know to help close a gap in something you are doing anyway?

Side note: The job market can change in an instant with innovations. I know people who decided to get a computer science degree in hopes of making $100k+. Some do, but that number dramatically fell for entry level positions after companies realized they are over-staffed. Moreover, in times of recessions, companies are setting the bar higher for positions that are necessary. These events are unpredictable, but if nothing is sure, why not spend our energy doing what we know and love?