More than a few smart having been saying lately, “Don’t follow your passion”. The main reason they give is that just because you’re passionate about something doesn’t mean you can make a living at it. There has to be a market for it.
If you love building Star Wars Battle Cruisers out of Legos, you probably have a hobby, not a business.
But some people build fortunes following their passion so telling everyone not to pursue theirs does them a disservice.
How about this: “Don’t follow your passion as a career unless there is a market for it”. Or, “Find a way to leverage your passion so you can make a living at it.”
Few among us love every aspect of our chosen careers. You may love standing in front of judges or juries and flapping your gums but hate marketing. If you asked me, I’d tell you to find a way to do more of the former because your passion for doing that will likely mean you don’t have to do much marketing.
And, if you aren’t passionate about any aspect of your career, if you do it because you’re good at it and it’s paying the bills but you would rather be doing something else, I’d tell you to keep looking for a way to do that something else.
Because if you can make a living doing what you love, not only will you be happier, you’ll likely accomplish more than you ever thought possible simply because you’re doing more.
In speaking about productivity, Leo Babauta of Zen Habits said: “…if you’re passionate about your work, you won’t procrastinate — you’ll love doing it, and want to do more. . . Make your life’s work something you’re passionate about, not something you dread doing, and your task list will almost seem like a list of rewards.”
Go find your list of rewards.
This can help you figure things out
How to be rich and happy
When I was young, I wanted to be a writer. That was my dream. I loved reading and the feel and smell of books. I haunted libraries and bookstores, imagining my own books in the windows and on the shelves.
I was a voracious reader. Non-fiction and fiction. Business, marketing, biographies, history; mysteries, thrillers, detective novels, science fiction. And books on writing.
But while I have written extensively throughout my career, early on, I somehow convinced myself that writers don’t make much money and I needed to do something more remunerative. Make money first, then I can retire and write all I want.
I now know this is folly.
To deny your passions, no matter the financial ramifications, is to deny the truth of who you really are. Working to make money so you can then do something else is simply bad advice.
But what if what you are passionate about is a one way ticket to financial mediocrity? At some point, you have to ask yourself, “What’s more important, money or happiness?” Yes, money is important and having more of it gives you more options. But having money does not guarantee happiness. Legions of unhappy wealthy people attest to that.
How about asking a different question: “What if what you are passionate about can lead to wealth and happiness?” It can, you know. In fact, I believe that following your passion is a much better road map to prosperity than working for money.
I’ve accomplished a lot in my career. I’ve done well financially. Â And now, decades after my childhood passion first stirred in me, I am writing. This blog is just the tip of the iceberg.
How does it feel? It feels. . . right. I can’t describe what I feel as excitement, it’s more a feeling of serenity, of “this is who I am and where I belong”.
But I also have flashes of regret.
What if I had listened to my inner child, the one who wanted to be a writer? What if I had ignored the voice of “logic” that told me to do something else? Where might I be today?
I don’t know if I’d be rich, but I know I’d be happy.
If I’d read the story of “The Rich Fisherman,” I might be in a different place today: