Happiness, Passion, and Work: Are they Compatible?
I wrote a post on Wisebread last week that asked if “doing what you love” was good advice or plain nonsense. Most of the response I’ve gotten show that people aren’t really buying it. The advice seems to come off as too idealistic naive for most people.
I think hucksters like that guy (Gary) are full of nonsense. Not everyone can “do what they love” and make money at it.
Agreed, but Gary is hardly a huckster.
Few are able to do what they love and make a living from it. Hence, it’s important to be PRACTICAL, and also do what you love on the SIDE.
Practical is all well and good, but how do you balance passion and practicality?
I don’t think you can “love” anything that you are forced to do every day (lack of freedom) but you better like it a lot if you want to be any good at it!
This is probably the most sensible comment I got on this. Although I disagree that because we’re forced to do something we can’t “love” it.
After going through all the comments, I realized I phrased the question incorrectly from the start.
I don’t think that picking something you’re passionate about and then trying to make a living off of it is for everyone. Just like starting your own business or running marathons isn’t for everyone, it takes a very unique type of person to pull it off.
But I do believe it can be done.
For most of us, we’re going to pick a job we hate as little as possible and do that. We try to minimize our hate and that’s usually good enough. We make up for it in other ways: working with people we like, having a rewarding hobby outside of work, volunteering, etc.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to build a career around something you absolutely love. It can be done.
I admit it isn’t for everyone, but who is it for then? What kind of qualities would be required for someone to successfully start with what they love and then later try to successfully monetize it?
- Persistence: There are going to be lots of excuses to quit.
- Money: Either a side job or a timely inheritance…you’re still going to have to pay the bills.
- Passion: Is it necessary or is this too idealistic to be on the list?
- Luck: As much as we don’t like to think about it, luck plays a huge role in how successful we are.
That list reads an awful lot like the lists I see out there for good candidates to start their own business…
November 17th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Funny you wrote about this.
I just finished reading “Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity” and there’s a chapter on trying to insert your passion into your career.
Like you said, it’s not for everybody.
The point he brings up — and I think it makes sense — is what do you do if you fail? You are now jobless and without a passion.
Doing what you love for a living can seem so far-fetched for some people that I think they terrified of the possibility.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Honestly, I can’t personally imagine loving doing anything all the time, especially if it’s tied to money. At some point, you’ll likely have to make a choice to put food on the table or “stay true to your passion”. You even say in the Wisebread article that there are probably some miserable times when trying to get a passion-based venture up and running.
For me, I want a job that challenges me, pays well enough and is flexible enough that I’ll give up 40hrs a week for it. I’ve found that in my current position and I’m very happy for that. I don’t love the work everyday, but I have a lot more good days than bad ones. I have plenty of time outside work for whatever I’m passionate about.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:30 am
i must agree with the last sentence that the list above sounds like you re describing an entrepreneur. So am assuming that is anyone would want to work at their passion, the must be entrepreneurial. With this assumption, it also proves what you have said that it is not for everyone. I for one would like to immensely enjoy my work for the rest of my life and not have to look for employment out of necessity