Blog: Finding your "white hot"

I was returning textbooks in the BYU Bookstore when I met a brand new freshman, who talked to me the entire way through the line about her choices for majors and minors. Like many other freshmen, she was interested in many things—and completely confused which to pursue. She named about six majors, stopping only because it was her turn in line.


You might think you’re safe from this confusion (after all, you have a career and the title to prove it) but I’ve talked to several employees during my AmFam internship this summer who aren’t too different from that freshman. Some would like to try something new but don’t know what or how, and others have made it to their current position only after trying several alternatives.


I’ve realized that it all comes down to finding your “white hot.” This is the hottest part of the fire, and finding yours means you’ll accomplish significantly more high quality work. Think about it: how much more would you get done each day if you loved your work so much you couldn’t wait to get started?


While each person may have a different path to finding their “white hot,” I learned a few things this summer that college students and professionals can do to come a little closer to the heat:




1. Find out about yourself—and then play to your strengths. In college, they have career advisement counselors. At AmFam, they have a Career Engagement and Agility Course. You don’t need to be a confused freshman to find out what makes you tick. Taking classes like this—or even the Meyers-Briggs test—is the first step in finding who you really are and where you can make the biggest difference.


2. Always seek out new opportunities. Don’t dismiss opportunities that at first glance, don’t fit into your ideal. Before attending BYU, I thought business was nothing but accounting and I almost didn’t take the internship at AmFam. Growing horizontally enriches everything, and can open up doors you never even knew existed.


3. Think outside the box. Students are always inventing ways to get work done with minimal efforts (study groups, anyone?) but you don’t need to wake up at noon to work smarter, not harder. Want some ideas? Read Seth Godin’s blog!


4. Never stop learning! Learning doesn’t just happen in a classroom and it doesn’t end when you graduate or receive that big promotion. By taking every chance you have to learn, you’ll be that much more valuable—and have more to contribute.


5. Be willing to give it 200%. Even though this doesn’t make sense mathematically, when you give it your all and then some, amazing things can happen—including inspiring the people around you.


6. Pay attention to things (and people) around you. We’ve all heard it before: networking is so important. I was once told: get to know what people love and then love what they love—then they will love you. Listen to others, and then do the small things to build and keep relationships. Think of each thing as a stone in the wall: it doesn’t look like much close up, but step back and you’ll see something magnificent.




I say, find your “white hot”! Whether your desk is a cubicle with dual monitors and spreadsheets or the kitchen table next to some instant ramen, you stand to gain so much by searching for the heat.



**This blog was published on the American Family Insurance internal corporate blog, "Cube With A View".