Finding what you love to do…

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”  – Confucious

We’ve all heard this inspirational quote by Confucious, reminding us that work really isn’t work at all if it’s doing something you love.  I agree that getting paid for something you love doing, and are passionate about, is what most people would consider a dream come true!  But how realistic is this?  Is this something that only a select few get to experience, or is this a goal we should all set before us.

My time in the ‘real’ world (either a mere or astounding 18 years depending on your age) has placed me in contact with a wide variety of people working in a wide variety of areas: public and private sectors, telecomm, government, financial, religious, and arts & entertainment industries.  Regardless of the sector, industry, or job, I’ve found a common theme throughout: people are unhappy with their jobs. People are simply working because it’s a job to pay the bills.  Maybe they studied in that area because it seemed to pay well or have job security (or their parents made them do it).  Maybe they took the job because it was the first one available to them and they just continued in that path.  Regardless of the reason, they are usually unhappy, working for the weekend, and are finding every possible way to meet expectations with minimal effort.  To be honest, I’ve been there and fully understand what this feels like.

So what gives?  Is it that difficult to actually work a dream job that still pays the bills?  Do we have to balance being rich with being happy or can the two co-exist when it comes to our occupation.

In my own personal journey I also struggled to find true joy in my daily routine.  I was always motivated to be successful, but I also wanted to be happy in the process of being successful.  I’ve always believed that personal ownership produces high excellence, so I  wanted to be motivated, regardless of job description, job sector or job industry.  This was something I was looking to solve not only for me personally, but also for the people I was leading as well.

For the longest time I thought that finding what I loved to do had everything to do with a specific job in a specific industry. When I was little I wanted to be an astronaut.  I dreamed of exploring outer space, traveling to unknown galaxies.  I realize now that it wasn’t necessarily outer space that I wanted (although I do love astronomy), but inside of me is an adventurer that loves exploring the unknown.  I’m a trailblazer and I love venturing into unchartered territories, whether in the woods, or in business.

Finding what you love to do is just as much about the ‘what’ you are doing as it is ‘where’ you are doing it and with ‘who’ you are doing it with.  I spent many years in government contracting and I felt like it was my dream job.  People would ask me why I LOVED coming to work, and I genuinely did.  I actually woke up excited to get to work!  Yes, I had the privilege of working with amazing people, and yes, I was doing exciting work that really made a difference.  But the ‘what’ I was doing was what I enjoyed most: Problem solving and teaching.  Everyday I was put in a position to develop new, innovative solutions to complex problems, and then teach and train others to use those solutions.

Knowing this about me has enabled me to find true happiness in every circumstance and situation.  Regardless of the where and who, regardless of the industry or job, regardless of the people, I am always looking to see where I can position myself to do what I love to do: solve problems, and teach others.

You may be in a situation that seems to have no end in sight, or in a position that is just helping to pay the bills.  I bet if you can discover what you love to do and find opportunities to do it where you are, you will also start waking up looking forward to the workday instead of just living for the weekend.  You will begin to enjoy the process of the journey instead of just seeing the place you’re in as a means to an end.

Do you love what you do?  Today is a good day to start!