I was reflecting the other day on a story I heard on a video. A young man who had grown all his life in the desert was captured by people he did not know. They ended up in a place where he had never been, or even dreamt of! He stared in awe!  Instead of the sands he had been used to all his life, the place was a sea of water, blue, calm, staring right at him! He had never seen anything like this in his life! He enquired what it was! It was a beach and the water were a sea! He run and jumped into the water, dipping his hands and coming out with everything and anything he could get! He asked about everything! Followed fishermen, dhow rowers, sailors and anybody who did anything in the sea! The story teller ended the story saying that the boy became the best fisherman that was known around.
We may ask ourselves, how was this possible yet the boy had never been exposed to water? Well, that is the uniqueness of human beings; an innate talent, interest and gift that is waiting to be explored! The interest that the boy had lay innate until it was exposed and explored!
Did you know that everyone is unique and wired in a special way? Did you know that for over 7.5billion of people in the world, no one looks like the other? Many would call it a miracle. Others a mystery. Others just a chance!
To me it is just a mystery! That everyone has their own set of unique interests, abilities, talents that are not replicable. Interests and talents are innate and everyone was born with their own sets. Skills however are learnt. For example, you can learn how to drive, to swim, to cook among others.
So what is an interest? Is it something that intrigues or motivates you; something that concerns, involves, draws the attention of, or arouses the curiosity of a person? Interests are innate and forms part of one’s character trait. We have all been wired differently and it’s in knowing our unique self that we learn to celebrate ourselves.
Interests can be discovered and developed through the things that we do. Like classwork, participation in school clubs or community organisations, volunteer work, or activities with family or friends; for example, maybe you found yourself very curious about wildlife after you visited the national park on a school trip. Reading books, watching movies and talking to people can also ignite those innate interests. Perhaps you are intrigued by the topic and conversation of a television personality, talk show or documentary. Identifying and developing interests are important parts of our own self-expression.

Do you love working with people or with tools? Do you love working with ideas and theories or do you love independence, expressing ideas and feelings in artistic ways? Are you a risk taker, negotiator and a leader or are you the kind who loves structure, rules and planned activities?  What is your interest?
The correct answer to this question opens a world of opportunities and possibilities? And we can help you find out!
Margaret Waithaka is a Career Guidance expert, counsellor, trainer & consultant. She can be reached on Maggie.waithaka@gmail.com or Maggie@careerguidancecollege.co.ke