Some of the best advice I was ever given was from a former co-worker—let’s call him Tim. Tim was a middle-aged man working in the IT department at a very reputable corporation. He was highly compensated but every day when I passed his cube he looked depressed. One day I walked over to him and asked him if everything was going ok. He looked up at me and said, “No, I’m not doing ok. I’m 37, have 2 kids, and hate my job.” I was utterly shocked! “You hate your job? But you get paid so much money and have so many perks as an employee here.” He smiled and said, “Yeah, it’s all gravy, but this job isn’t what I’m passionate about. I don’t jump out of bed saying to myself, ‘I’m living the dream.’ I usually say to myself, ‘I’m dying on the inside’.” At that moment I didn’t know what to say, so I continued to walk on by. He stopped me and said, “Don’t ever pass up the opportunity to do what you’re passionate about.” I smiled, nodded, and walked to my desk, and since that day never forgot those words.
Passion is a strong emotion; it’s a feeling in the pit of your stomach that wakes you up in the middle of the night. Passion is the thing that you should be striving for. When your passion becomes a reality it transforms into your ultimate dream job. And who doesn’t want to be working at their dream job?
For so many of us, working has become a chore, something that we just have to get through to pay the bills. No true magic reveals itself at our jobs, just mountains of paper work, annoying co-workers, and outrageous bosses. But this is unacceptable. People should not be settling for less, they should be transforming their lives and searching for what they are passionate about doing, and DO IT. And if you don’t know what your passion is, that’s ok—for now. But don’t ever stop looking for that thing that could take you from boring to extraordinary.
Below are three tips that can help you navigate through life, not ever passing on your passion. What are some other tips that you can contribute to this list?
- “Whatever you do—whether it’s getting the coffee, whether it’s putting the finishing touches on that dress—do it 110 percent. The people you work with will notice, and that will be rewarded.” Jenna Lyons, the executive creative director at J. Crew.
- “It’s about working hard, following your dreams and finding your zone.” Buddy Valestro, TLC show, Cake Boss.
- Living out your dream job is about creating something that will make someone else stop in their tracks. “We’re all so busy in the brouhaha of everyday life. If you stop a businessman in the lobby of a hotel or if you make something in a restaurant and they’ll stop and say, ‘That’s amazing,’ you’ve done your job.” Known as the rock ‘n’ roll florist, Jeff Leatham.
Xoxo Nish
P.s Never stop reaching