Passion and talent do not always go hand in hand.

Discovering and pursuing a passion is important for all of us. Passion gives us joy and energy and provides important references for how we identify essential aspects of ourselves.

For some of us, our passion provides peace in our busy lives. For others, passion fuels us with adrenaline as we carve out our unique path in freshly fallen snow or hike that ever-more-challenging mountain. Others find fellowship through their passion, collaboratively working toward a common goal. It is not the passion that is significant, though; the significance lies in how the passion engages us and fills us in meaningful ways. It is what helps to sustain our psychological well-being.

If well-being is not enough, our passions also serve as training grounds for building perseverance. Very few of us learned to play an instrument without years of hitting the wrong notes. Those who were passionate about their instrument pushed through the discord because something about learning that instrument motivated them to work hard to overcome its inevitable challenges. When something engages and fills us, we “stick with it” and in time we build the skills that help us tackle setbacks that we encounter in other aspects of our lives.

Colleges understand these attributes and value them tremendously. As a candidate effectively relays their passions in their applications, admissions officers learn about the characteristics that they will bring to their campus; they learn how they will engage in the classroom and beyond, and what they will lean on to get them through tough times.

I write about this because so many of the students with whom I work have interests and talents but not necessarily a passion. They have spent years developing a set of skills and may even have received accolades for them. What’s missing for many, though, is that they don’t love what they do. It doesn’t drive them to work hard for learning’s sake or hold much personal meaning. They have not yet discovered their passion – not yet.

It’s never too late to stretch one’s wings and through an open mind and patience discover that which you truly love to do. The opportunities are out there. Seize them, whether big or small.