Follow your heart

By Shin Seul-ki

Take a moment and think over this thought-provoking passage from the book ``Demian” by Herman Hesse: ``I wanted only to try to live in accord with the promptings which came from my true self. Why was that so very difficult?”

College entrance exams this year are over and now the results are published. That means it is time for students to make some grave decisions about their lives. When they choose a university and major, they might think ``Will this major be useful to get a job?” or ``Can I enter this university with my exam result no matter what the major is?” rather than ``Will this major enable me to follow my true calling?”

Majors, to a large extent, are at the mercy of exam results or a university’s reputation more so than our interests. We listen not so much to our own inner voices as to the opinions of others. And the outcome of this superficial choice is obvious.

According to research by Joblink, seven out of 10 university students want to change their majors. There are several reasons, and the biggest reason is they don’t think their major fits them. Also, with regard to the top consideration of choosing the major, 31.4 percent of students chose their major according to their exam results, and 25.8 percent of them chose it job stability in the future.

Only 15.9 percent made choices based on their true calling. This survey suggests that even university students don’t know what they really want to do. They merely attach significance to exam results, job stability, or careers that entail large sums of money or prestige.

If so, what is it that hinders people from finding their true calling and pursuing the life they desire?

Korea’s current education system is the major reason for this problem. It requires students to spend nearly every waking hour figuring out not what they want to do but just studying for their college entrance exam. School doesn’t offer students a chance to find their true calling. School just pushes them into an ``education arms race” before finding their vision. Students study something hard for their bright future; however, paradoxically they don’t know what makes their futures brilliant.

Hence, the current education system needs reforming because it is not worth students studying if they don’t know what they want to be. So, it needs to expand the frequency of ``career education” in school to figure out what the aptitude and interests of students are. There is mandatory career education in school but it is too short.

According to a survey of the OECD’s Program for International Students Assessment (PISA), Korea ranked 25th in work placements and 24th in the frequency of attendance at career fairs. This suggests that this figure contrasts with Korean students’ high academic achievement. So, expanding the frequency of career education will enable students to look for their interests continuously.

What’s more, the teachers’ role is important. Teachers should not just cram the heads of students with facts; they should help students think for themselves and think deeply about what they want to be by observing and consulting.

To adults, you should make an effort to find your vision by doing voluntary work, participating in internships, travelling as much as possible, and reading various books. Through a lot of experience, you can finally figure out what your true calling is.

Another cause of this problem is fear of failure or challenge. Although you are aware that you are not satisfied with what you are doing now, you are hesitant to change your life in a way that you truly hope. You may rationalize with these excuses when you face the need for change: “It is too late to try to change” or “I haven’t built up experience in the field where I want to be.” Sure. It is difficult to begin your life anew.

However, you must consider that your time is limited. Your life is too short to do just what you love. But, do you want to live life doing what you hate? Bear in mind that unless you overcome the fear of failure or challenge, your life won’t ever change.

If you want to get where you want to be, you must take risks; nevertheless, the adventure will be awesome. And, if you finally find your true calling, just give it your best shot not worrying about the results. It might be better to be clumsy at something you love than an expert in something you hate.

When the late Steve Jobs was 17, he read a quote, and since then, he asked himself every morning in the mirror for 33 years: ``If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” He got the idea there was no reason not to follow his heart and intuition, for he believed his heart and intuition already knew what he truly wanted to become.

Close your eyes and listen carefully to what your heart is telling you now. If your heart says something, just follow your heart. Trust your instincts and defy gravity.

The writer is a student majoring in English Education at Wonkwang University. She can be reached at sakunino77@naver.com.