It has been said that “If you do what you love you will never work a day in your life”. We all know this is true, but the challenge is being able to find it and support our life responsibilities at the same time. We all have things we love to do, things that make us happy and enjoy life. Then, we go to work and we do something different. So, how do you combine what excites and motivates you with your everyday job? This is the magic that’s needed to change our point of view. Do what you love and reduce the things that hold you back.
Here is the reality of where we stand. Most of us do not have a job that fulfills our passion. It is said that less than one-third of graduates are even coming out into jobs related to their majors.
WOW!! It’s not a simple task to find our passion against these odds. Right now, I want you to look yourself in the mirror and say “If I want it, I can find it”, and repeat “If I want it, I can find it”. Now, let’s dig into beginning the process of making this happen.
Today I am not going to tell you to quit your job and start your own e-business or anything like that. Of course, if you can follow your passion that way, by all means, do it. I want to focus on the 75% of the population that is taking care of their family or themselves with a career that falls short of their passion. So, how do you bring that into your current situation? If we can think of our life as a puzzle it takes a lot of pieces to put us all together. The key is bringing the passion pieces of your puzzle to the forefront more often. Here are a few ideas of what I mean.
- Look for a project you can volunteer for with an opportunity to express your creative side that’s held back with your daily work.
- Look for a charitable connection at your job that will allow you to combine a work skill with a great community outreach that more closely aligns with your passion.
- Look for a position in another department that may allow you to move closer to what it is that you’re truly looking for.
- Be an idea generator. See if you can think of a new product or concept for your business that allows you the opportunity to create an ideal job.
- Help others achieve more. For many, your passion can be fed through others rather than yourself. So, do all you can to help increase the role of others in what you do. Standing in the shadows and watching the success of a team can fulfill certain individuals. If that’s you, find a way.
- Use a tool like Linkedin and start connecting with individuals that can create a bridge to your goal. Find others with the passion role you seek and start up a conversation. Don’t be afraid to show humility in reaching out to folks whom you share that same passion with. After all, what is there to lose? Several people I know have created their own opportunity this way.
My point is this. If you sit here and complain, nothing will happen to take you in a positive direction closer to your passion and doing what you love. That is unacceptable! As a coach and a leader, I want more for you than that. I want to see people reaching their goals. The reason I do what I do is to help make that happen every day. Life is full of pathways we must choose to take. So, please start choosing them with the end in mind. Seek your desires and strive to go for it rather than heading for the cliff like lemmings. Be inspired, “go for it” and try to reach that place, that job, that business, that charity or whatever it is you desire to make every day a pleasure and not feel like work at all.
Good Luck and Great Growth in all you do.
Tim