What’s Your Passion? What’s Your Purpose?

“What’s your passion?" "What’s your purpose?”

For a long time, these two questions sparked in me the same level of existential uncertainty as “Why are we here?” or “How big is the universe?”

I envied those who appeared to have found their passions early in life - the piano prodigies, the born entrepreneurs, the athletic legends. I wanted my passion to be obvious and clear.

One night, in the college dorms, I shared these feelings with my roommate. She listened and empathized, as great friends do. The next morning, as I put on my jacket to head to class, I found a note in my pocket. She had written on a small piece of scrap paper: “Your passion is people.”

We all have these moments in our lives - turning points, nudges, signs - that stick with us. I’ve thought about that note throughout my career, and I know it has guided me to where I am today.