How did you discover your real life "cutie mark"?

[Cadence]

As a university student, it's no wonder the "It's got to be my destiny" song from the most recent FiM episode hit home. Lately I've been wondering, what am I doing studying what I'm studying?! I'm not 100% sure of what I want to choose as a career when I graduate. Yet some people know what they want to be at age 3!

So, I'm curious to know, just when and how did you find out what you wanted to be? (Or what you're doing if you still haven't found that out yet! ) Let's hear some stories!!

[andibgoode]

I still haven't found out, yet! Haven't found anything I truly enjoy enough to pursue as a career. I'm going back to uni (again) this year to do my master in Curatorial and Museum Studies. Hopefully I enjoy it and can find some kind of work in it. Really hard to find work in the arts if you don't know the right people, especially where I live.

[DoctorMowinckel]

I don't feel like I have a 'calling', I just do things. I enjoy recording and manipulating sound, so I have a business doing audio work. I got into photography, after a couple years, turns out I excel at it to the extent people will give me money for the pictures I take, or pay me to make pictures for them. So I changed the name of my business from 'Mowinckel Recording' to 'Mowinckel Recording & Photography'. I'm very interested in colour grading, so I'm going to pursue that. If I get good enough at that that people are willing to pay me money to do it, I'll change the name of my business to 'Mowinckel Productions'. I'm also interested in video editing, and cinematography, both of which I'll likely pursue sometime down the line. I don't seek 'meaning' in what I do, I don't see a purpose to it, I just do things, some of which I'm better at than others. Allow me to quote Neil Degrasse Tyson;

“The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things in life like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock. The most successful people in life recognize, that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation.

For me, I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.”

Why look for a 'calling', for something that will obligate to put yourself into a box? Something that will put social pressure on you to do one thing. People will regard you as that thing and expect it out of you. Do something else and they'll ask 'Why are you doing that thing? Aren't you that other thing?' Don't limit yourself to doing one thing. Don't desire a 'calling' so much you manufacture it out of want, and pursue it because you've been looking for 'meaning' in your life, then walk down that fabricated road because you want it so badly you're willing to lie yourself about what you're 'true meaning' or whatever is. Don't look for your 'calling', don't expect to ever find it. Just do things, find things you like doing, follow them down to their bedrock, become an expert, if that still leaves you feeling hollow, look for something else. Accruing knowledge and expertise is far more rewarding than doing something that's expected you of because you wanted that 'calling' so badly you forced yourself into something. If, in the process of doing that, you find something that makes you happier than what you're doing now, do it. If you find something that makes you happier than that, then do that. Don't put yourself into a box, that's how you get a narrow view of the world.

Do things. Do lots of things. Don't do them because it's expected of you, do it because you want to. Find something of your own accord and do it.

[Yurusumaji]

I didn't figure it out until I was 24. I always knew I wanted to work with animals, but I also knew that being a vet was not for me. My mother and I were talking about it once when I was young and she mentioned I could be a Biologist like Jeff Corwin (loved his show when I was little). That sounded cool to me. Fast-forward to when I'm all grown up and Biologist doesn't sit right with me. Seems like you have to get a Master's before you can really do anything with it. So I take a really in-depth college course test to see what other stuff is out there. After lots of puttering through tons of different fields of study I'm reading the overview of Zoology and thinking that I've found it. It's practical, it's broad without being too broad and it gives me options for careers that I would love to have a hand in.

So while I knew what my passion was when I was young, it took me until I was 24 to figure out exactly what  wanted to do with that passion.

[Enolaalone]

I totally agree with DoctorMowinckel on this one. I don't have a calling. When I was a kid I thought that I would do something when I grew up, I would be a particular profession (which I think is how a lot of people are brought up), but it didn't really work out that way. I've done a lot of jobs since i left uni, and I'm currently in my first permanent one. I don't feel like my job is my calling. I don't think any job could be that, it's just a means to an end for me. There are nicer means to ends than others, but I don't think my job defines me.

Another thing I used to think was that if I didn't learn something when I was young I wouldn't ever be able to learn it. Now I think that if you want to learn something, and you practise, you can do anything you want to. This year, at the age of 27, I am learning to play the ukulele. I'm maybe even going to learn to ride a bike this year.

I also used to think you had to be 'talented' at something, in order to do it really well. I was always frustrated as a child because other people seemed to have one thing they could do really well, and that was their thing, and I could do lots of things reasonably well. Which I thought was some kind of curse.

But in the end I think its better to have a lot of different things you're interested in, like a collage, rather than just one thing.

Ooh, that was long post. tl;dr. Do lots of things! Not just one! It's never too late to learn something new!

[andibgoode]

*snip*

Another thing I used to think was that if I didn't learn something when I was young I wouldn't ever be able to learn it. Now I think that if you want to learn something, and you practise, you can do anything you want to. This year, at the age of 27, I am learning to play the ukulele. I'm maybe even going to learn to ride a bike this year.

*snip*

I play ukulele! It's so much fun. One of the few things in life I truly enjoy And I'm thinking of learning to ride a bike, too. Snap!

[Enolaalone]

*snip*

Another thing I used to think was that if I didn't learn something when I was young I wouldn't ever be able to learn it. Now I think that if you want to learn something, and you practise, you can do anything you want to. This year, at the age of 27, I am learning to play the ukulele. I'm maybe even going to learn to ride a bike this year.

*snip*

I play ukulele! It's so much fun. One of the few things in life I truly enjoy And I'm thinking of learning to ride a bike, too. Snap!

Hooray! I started learning because of an Amanda Palmer song, which I recommend everyone listens to, called Ukulele Anthem

By the way, I really like your signature pic, is that you?

[achab1984]

Well I am not sure what mine would be. I am a mental health aid right now. But I know this is not calling.......its just to hard on my body and mine sometimes. Must be why I hurt all the time and my back is messed up

Mine could be another pony I love to collect ponies

[Kiwi]

I did my co-op at my college, and never left afterwards. I've moved around within the college, but still here.

[fingerpaints]

I have dabbled in a few areas, am a talented artist, but found my true calling working with children two years ago at the age of 28. I'm now 29 and only a module and block of placement from my diploma in the field.

I have alot of people, generally about once a week tell me im a waste working with children because of my artistic talent, which really hurts. I did pursue that career at just 17 years old, and wound up with a cert IV in graphic design foundation, I was unable to continue with the diploma as I was knocked back two years running (even with my "talent") because one of the teachers in the panel played god and decided I should be doing fine arts instead.

I was devastated with the first knock back, the second one I just became a security guard after waking up one morning thinking it was a good idea at the time.

I worked security for 8 years, hated every minute of it right from my very first shift. I then moved states and decided then was a better time than ever to actually chase a career I wanted to do instead of just work to pay bills.

I found I have a real talent with special needs children, and really want to focus on that as a career, as well as down the track teaching the subject to adult classes. I just love it, and love being around children. I have met some amazing people and helped change peoples way of thinking, and helped many children from all different backgrounds form different views and imagination that they never knew they had inside them.

I just love it and am very passionate about what I do. I have alot of out there ideas, and at times have taught staff at the centres I have been placed in more than I have learnt, but I think that's what this industry is about, sharing knowledge and teaching children. Its not a competition.

[RAMChYLD]

Well, I've been into computers for a very, very long time. When I first overcome my phobia of computers at the age of four, I was very determined to master the machine and was determined to work with them one day. So I guess I realized my true calling very early on.

[kaoskat]

Nope. I'm useless. I have no calling. Seriously though, I honestly can't come up with anything I'm actually good at. And believe me I've tried. Anyone care to join me in the Cutie Mark Crusaders?

[cobalte]

^ Me! Though I'm young, so I have a bit of an excuse.

IMO if something like cutie marks existed for humans they would probably be changing all the time. I don't think someone has one set calling and that is it, as they may have several different callings over their lifetime... whether it be hobby, or career, etc

[OLumeVaSti]

I still don't know. I just applied for every full  time job in the area and I ended up in the airline businesses. I've been doing it over five years but,I don't think it is my calling. I think my path in life is just to be someone who just goes with the flow.

[MilkyTaroMochi]

I have yet to find my "cutie mark", either. I thought it was Art (which is my current major in college), but I figured out about two years ago it wasn't my calling.

Looks like I'm going to be a "Blank Flaaaaank!!!" for quite some time. xD