I’m sure you heard it all the time growing up: “following your passion is your key to happiness”.
“You don’t work a day in your life when you’re doing something you love.”
Well we’re here to tell you that statement has some truth to it.
But you shouldn’t rely on your passion as your only source of income.
At least not in the beginning…
Why It’s A Bad Idea
You might not love your current job. You might even hate your current job.
But just because you’re tired of working for somebody in a cubicle somewhere doesn’t mean you should throw it all away to chase a dream.
And in most cases, people don’t even know what their passions are.
So just remember…
You don’t have to leave your job now to do what you love and change the world.
If you’re tired of your current office job…
You should try to find ways to change that.
Be an “intrapreneur” and find ways to make an impact with your organization. You have more power with a big organization right now…
Than the power you’d have by yourself in a new business.
Heck, it will take years for you to build that type of power by yourself.
If your current office job is making you miserable…
You should focus on getting a job with an organization where you can have freedom and make a difference in the world.
Take the time now to develop a network of professionals and valuable skills that companies are looking for in their candidates.
And eventually you’ll be with an organization that you’re proud to work with.
Passion Is Holding You Back
So after reading the subheading above, I’m sure you’re wondering:
“How is passion holding me back?”
Well sometimes people get so wrapped up in their passions that it becomes more destructive than people realize. Passion can really feed one’s ego and it usually doesn’t turn out well for others involved.
Our passions tend to only let us think with our hearts and feelings. And we don’t end up using the part of our brains that got us where we are in our professional careers.
Passion can make you a stubborn person. You won’t care what other people have to say and you’ll do only the things you feel like doing. It will make you impatient and wonder why you aren’t making an impact yet.
Passion will usually make you work relentlessly for years and achieve nothing in the end.
Instead of following your passion… you should follow your purpose.
Consider your purpose your passion but with realistic boundaries. It’s passion with a plan. It’s more functional.
You’ll ask The Who’s? The Why’s? The When’s? The Where’s? And The What’s?
And then you’ll set step-by-step goals after you answer those questions and surround yourself with the right professionals.
Avoid Quitting A Good Job To Follow Your Passion
Maybe you’re chasing that six-figure income or maybe you already have an income you’re satisfied with.
One day you’ll probably ask yourself if this is all you want in life. Maybe you want to focus on your passion for work. Maybe you want more freedom and you want to do work that makes you happy.
But what makes you happy can change all the time.
And when it does change… what happens next?
Do you quit again and follow your new passion?
The chances are your “passion” or what makes you happy will change multiple times in life.
So before you throw everything away… and leave a job that turned out to be a good thing… you really need to ask yourself if this passion will last.
And ask yourself if it’s worth giving these benefits up:
- Steady income
- Health insurance
- 401(k)
- Paid vacations
- Paid holidays
If you quit your current job… You will probably give up one or more of the benefits listed above.
Instead of quitting completely, why not start a side job with your passion?
Designate some time for your passion on the weekend or during weeknights. See if you really enjoy your new work. You can even make some money on the side this way. Multiple streams of income can turn into wealth.
All we’re saying is… don’t quit everything just because of your passion.
Find What You’re Good At Instead
Instead of following your passion, you should think about what activities you love to do the most. What type of work do you really enjoy?
Some activities might be:
- Research
- Running meetings
- Spreadsheets
- Presentations
- Project management
- Training others
- Sales
- Account management
It’s important to see what activities you actually enjoy doing at work. And then you need to harness your skills so you can excel at the office.
Once you identify these activities and start performing them you’ll notice:
- You’re happier at work
- Time goes by faster at work
- You won’t dread going to work every day
- You’ll develop better relationships with your manager and co-workers
- You’ll grow professionally
So don’t get so worked up about your passion. Find out what type of work you’re good at… and be the best at it in the office.
Do you remember when your grade school teachers used to give you gold stars for doing a good job? Well gold stars are now handed out in the form of raises and promotions.
So do you have any tips about following your passion?
Have you made your dreams a reality?
Well we want to hear how you did it!
Tell us all about it in the comment section!
