INTERESTS
Each of us falls somewhere on a spectrum when it comes to understanding our interests - some of us may have little sense of what excites us, others might have a vague idea, and a lucky few may know exactly what they’re passionate about.
Not knowing what you’re interested in can be an initial stumbling block when you’re thinking about ‘where to from here’ in your career. This exercise is designed to help you gain more clarity about your personal interests and explore the origins of what truly drives you.
The Exercise: INTEREST
How to do it (Estimated time: 10 mins)
Start by using the Interests Template to brainstorm what excites you. If you’re unsure where to begin, here are some prompts to help get the ideas flowing:
Reflect on your free time: Think about how you spend your time when you’re not working. What activities do you naturally gravitate towards? Are there hobbies or routines that consistently bring you joy or satisfaction? You can refer to your time audit to jog your memory if you get stuck!
Notice what energises you: Consider moments when you feel most alive or energised. Is there a particular activity, conversation or topic that makes you lose track of time? These can often point to underlying interests.
Look for patterns: Are there certain themes or types of tasks you enjoy across different areas of your life? For example, do you often find yourself problem-solving, creating, helping others, or analysing things in different contexts?
Take a step back: Think back to your younger self. How did you spend your time? What did you love doing? Now, take one childhood interest and imagine you dedicated your life to it, what might your life and career look like now? Try this with several different childhood hobbies.
500 word piece #3
Choose one of your interests and write about how this interest came about.
Prompting questions:
Why did you choose to write about this interest?
When did you first become aware of the interest? Provide an anecdote.
What is it about the interest that energises / inspires / evokes something in you?
What steps have you taken to pursue this interest?
What are you curious to know more about? What questions do you have? What do you need to level up?
What future experiences would you like to have in relation to this interest?
Up next: Key Moments