As the national college entrance exams draw to a close, countless high school seniors find themselves at a major crossroads. Lately, the question I hear most often is, “Which major offers the best career prospects?” Rarely does anyone ask, “What do I actually love?” This stems from the long-held belief that your choice of major dictates the entire trajectory of your life.
In the past, choosing a “stable” path usually guaranteed a secure future. But in today’s world, technology moves at breakneck speed. The “safe bets” of yesterday can be overturned in just a few short years.
I believe that instead of obsessing over the “most promising” path, we should ask ourselves: Is there something so captivating that you lose all track of time doing it—and love every second of it?
A friend recently shared a story about a middle schooler obsessed with Roblox and Discord. At first, he was just like any other teenager who loved gaming. But gradually, he began researching, watching tutorials, joining international communities, and connecting with players worldwide.
Soon, being just a player wasn’t enough. He taught himself to code and developed tools to solve real-world problems within his community, making communication more efficient. Recently, he even fell in love with Japanese, asking his teacher to ramp up the difficulty just so he could converse more fluently with people from different cultures.
Watching him evolve from a player to a self-learner, then a creator, and finally a cross-cultural communicator, it’s clear that no one forced him to learn. (And thankfully, no one labeled his passion as “pointless gaming.”) He was simply driven by genuine fascination. When he talks about his work, his eyes light up. That level of focus and excitement is something no exam score could ever replicate.
The true engine of personal growth is precisely this state of “having a spark in your eyes.” When you find something that truly captivates you, skills like adaptability, communication, technical prowess, and cultural empathy develop naturally. These competencies might not have a formal job title at first, but they are quietly accumulating, becoming the bedrock of your future.
No matter what stage of life you are in, ask yourself: What are you willing to immerse yourself in, day after day? What makes your eyes light up again? Give yourself the grace to explore; allow yourself to take the “less linear” path. May we all find that version of ourselves—the one with the spark in our eyes.
