We’ve got a problem. We’ve got a serious “passion crisis” in this country and across the world. Most of us, well…we don’t even think we should have a passion. Think it’s crazy? Well, it is. It’s also reversible.
Looking across the landscape of American workers (this includes anyone doing something to make money), a vast majority hate what they do. We’ve become a TGIF nation. We revolve around the times when we don’t have to work, so that we can “live our life”. What a sad way to go through life, eh? Spending 5/7 of it waiting for the 2/7 that makes it worth living. Man, no wonder Prozac and Zoloft are the new Pez of our generation.
Lucky for you – you don’t have to be in this majority.
Think back to when you were a child. You were asked, quite often, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. You’d answer with vivid imagination about what you could be – an astronaut, a fireman, the president. Fast forward to a short 15 years later and imagine yourself at a cocktail party. You’re introduced to someone and the first sentence out of their mouth is “So, what do you do?”
Whoa. Stop right there.
Did you catch that? See the difference?
“What do you want to be?” vs. “What do you do?”. That’s pretty huge. Actually, it’s really huge.
We’ve become a nation (and a world to a large extent) of doers. Do do do do do. What ever happened to what we are? What ever happened to that intrinsic purpose and dream that we held so longingly to as a child? Have we become so swept up in the illusion of “personal accountability” that we’ve created a completely artificial set of rules by which we need to live our lives? Yup.
You’ve heard the phrase “Don’t quit your day job”. Generally, you’ve probably heard it while expressing interest in something else you’d like to be doing. You’ve probably heard it from teachers, parents and the like, citing your responsibilities and security. I mean, after all, risks are risky, right? We don’t want that. Go to work, make your money, get your paycheck, enjoy your security (yeah, right!) and retire at whatever age the government decides is the newly accepted age at which you can (finally!) quit working.
Give. Me. A. Break. Does that sound like a life worth living? Does it sound exciting, just doing something for 40 years so you can finally spend the last few enjoy what’s left of your life? No it doesn’t.
It doesn’t have to be that way. AND…it doesn’t have to be foolish, silly, or a pipe dream.
Dave Ramsey says about getting out of debt: “If your broke friends are making fun of you, you’re probably on the right track.” The exact same goes for your occupation. If your unhappy friends are making fun of your pursuit of your dream, you’re probably on the right track. Keep it up.
It’s hard. I know. It’s hard to hear people saying to you “don’t be foolish” or “well, you’ll find out what we all do – it’s just not reasonable.” Yeah, that’s tough to hear. But, you’ve GOT to hear it…you’ve GOT to move through that to really find your purpose.
Your purpose is what you are, not what you do. Are you simply living each day doing, or being? It sounds rather metaphysical, but it’s important to understand. If you don’t take the time to really find out why you’re here, what your calling (and I know that’s cliche’) is, and what you should be, you’re doomed to a rather long, arduous and mediocre (at best) life.
So, take that risk. Move past thinking about what you do, to what you are. Try thinking of your job not in the framework of what tasks you do on a daily basis, but the larger meaning behind those tasks.
And don’t think it’s silly, just don’t be afraid to dream a little (or a lot). Don’t be afraid go back to asking what you want to be, rather than what you do. You can’t ask yourself enough.
