Doing What You Love or Loving What You Do
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a passion is a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.
Using that definition, what would you say is your passion? Is your job in any way related to that passion?
If so, you’re well on your way to having a job that you love! If not, well I wouldn’t say it’s the end of the world by any means, but you would probably agree that you’d be happier with a job that were related to that passion.
So what if you can’t find a job related to your passion?
Or what if you don’t even know what your passion is yet, but know it’s not what you’re currently doing for work? Personally, I struggled with this for quite awhile in my early 20’s, working multiple part-time jobs while in college and trying to “find myself” and what I wanted to do the rest of my life.
Here’s what I found out:
If you are lucky enough to find a job that relates to your passion, take that opportunity and let the world benefit from your passion! Seeing as it’s much more enjoyable doing business with someone who is passionate about their company, position, product, or service, etc. It must be kept in mind, however, that things change; people change, and interests change, and therefore your passions might change. And that’s okay. Keep an open mind and be adaptable. Continue learning new skills and developing new passions.
For those who aren’t quite there yet, be patient and also keep an open mind. It’s all about perspective. Although your day job might not relate to your passion, it still gives you purpose, a place to belong, and a paycheck. It puts a roof over your head, food on the table, and may provide benefits that are difficult or costly to get elsewhere. Just because a job isn’t considered your passion, doesn’t mean it’s worthless or a waste of time. All jobs can provide valuable experiences and transferrable skills that can lead us to our next great adventures!
I’d also like to add that just because a job isn’t your passion, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat it as such. Some of the best stories I hear are of individuals excelling at their current job, acting as if it’s their passion, while having a part-time job or going to school at night for their true passion, which is often times totally unrelated. I absolutely love those kinds of stories because it starts to show less about their actual passion and more about their character and the experience they provide the customer. This does wonders for a company’s reputation (and positive references and/or referrals for the individual)!
So at the end of the day, if you don’t have a passion or aren’t working in that field/industry, then don’t be afraid to make “excellent customer service” or “superior product quality” your passion for now and see where it gets you.
What could it hurt? Don’t just be an employee with a passion, be a passionate employee!
Alison Evans
Human Resources Manager
Your Employment Solutions
