Born To Make Art: Visual Learners May Be Especially Well-Suited for Creative Careers

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My son recently graduated from high school, so we are having a lot of conversations in our house right now about how to pick a college major and how to figure out what you want to be "when you grow up." How do you know what job will bring you joy and purpose - and still pay the bills? There are many reasons why a person might ultimately choose one career path over another. For some, it's about following in the footsteps of a respected parent or personal role model. For others, it's about stability and practicality. For still more people, it's about following their bliss and going where their innermost passions lead them. For instance, if you're someone who loves painting, drawing, or designing, it only makes sense that you'd be seriously considering a career in the arts. However, knowing an artist's life sounds like a possible fit for you is one thing. Being certain of it is another. If you're truly interested in whether you were born to be a professional artist, you should know that your learning style may be the proof you're looking for. Here's a closer look at how you can determine how you learn best, as well as identify the careers that are the best potential fits for you:

What Are the Different Learning Styles?

It goes without saying that everyone's different when it comes to how they learn best. Some people learn best by listening, while others are better at learning visually. Still more folks really won't learn something completely until they actually tackle a related task hands-on. Here's a breakdown of the most common learning styles.

• Auditory learners learn best when told what to do by an instructor, teacher, mentor, or another individual. They are often extremely strong communicators who gel well with other people and love working as part of a team.
• Kinesthetic learners are best described as doers. They're physical types who learn best by simply jumping into a task or by immediately applying something they've been taught. These are action-oriented folks that like getting their hands dirty and being right there in the thick of what's going on.
• Visual learners can often simply take or leave formal directed instruction, as they really learn best by reading, observing, or both. These are people who thrive in self-directed environments, who take naturally to solving problems, and who are amazing at thinking outside the box.

Which one are you? How you learn doesn't just dictate what types of educational environments were probably most comfortable for you growing up. They're clues to how you likely interact with the world around you when allowed to completely be yourself. They can definitely point the way to what type of career might be the best fit for you going forward.

Visual Learners and the Arts

Appreciating art in New Orleans French Quarter (2018)

If your heart positively sings when you're engaged in the act of making or capturing art, then it's highly likely that you're also a visual learner. Visual learners aren't just more likely to ask someone to show, as opposed to tell when they're trying to learn something new. They're more likely to use visuals to teach others, as well as convey ideas and emotion to the rest of the world.

For this reason, visual learners may find it especially natural to pursue art as a creative outlet or even a career choice. They'd be in excellent company as well. Some of history's most famous female visual learners also eventually made a name for themselves in the visual arts. They include but are definitely not limited to:

• Mary Cassatt
• Frida Kahlo
• Georgia O'Keefe
• Annie Leibovitz
• Dorothea Lange 
• Maya Lin

Are you a visual learner who really loves art, but aren't quite sure it's the career path for you? There are many other career paths that make especially good use of a visual learner's natural aptitudes, abilities, and ways of interacting with the world around them. Are you someone who loves helping and interacting with other people? You may be a good fit for a career as a teacher, therapist, doctor, or nurse. Do you love working with physical spaces? Take a closer look at a profession in architecture, interior design, engineering, or mechanics. Do you find yourself drawn to words, graphics, or print? Try your hand at copy editing, graphic design, or journalism and see if it feels like a fit.
Ultimately, the best career for you is one that not only makes use of your natural skills, personality, and thought processes, but that makes you feel joyful and exhilarated as well. When you reflect on your past experiences and memories, what do they tell you about how you learn best? If you could live your ideal life, what would it look like and what would be your ultimate way to make a living?

Ponder that and let me know your thoughts!

This post was brought to you by the Valued Voice. While I did receive compensation for authoring this post; product selections, descriptions, and opinions are 100% my own. Interested in a sponsored post or product review? Contact me for rates and details.