Why it’s Wrong to Look for Passion in Your Work
I hear a lot of people these days talking about how it’s important that you find work you are passionate about. They say you need to do work that you love. Well, I would like to disagree with those people. True, some people derive great pleasure from their work and this helps define them. That’s fine. However, I think it is a misconception that we need to all strive to have a business card that explains who we are and what we stand for. We don’t all need to define ourselves through our work. For one, it isn’t necessary and for two, it’s not possible.
You can’t help but agree with me that there are jobs out there that are pretty much impossible for anyone to become passionate about. This so called “passionate” work may also not allow you to live the lifestyle or family life you want because it may require you to move, work for less or work for long hours.
However, let’s go back to the fact that it isn’t necessary. There are lots of other things people can be passionate about besides work – family, hobbies, friends, charity work, sports and so forth. All of these things are excellent ways to find motivation, reason and joy in your life. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do work you enjoy. It is important to enjoy the work you do. No one wants to go to a job each day that they don’t like. However, don’t beat yourself up looking for passion in your work or thinking that there is something “missing” because other people talk about the zeal they have for their work. If you are happy with what you do and enjoy the people you work with, then that’s great. You should feel lucky that you have this.
Look for your passion outside of work. There are many areas that you can find it, in fact, you probably already have it. Do this and you will relieve yourself of an altogether unnecessary stress.
If you find yourself without anything in your life that you are truly passionate about, here are some suggestions:
1. Volunteer
Start volunteering for different organizations. You can try mentoring young kids or having a chat with an older person in a nursing home. You could go to your local animal shelter and offer to walk dogs or do cleaning. Volunteering offers limitless opportunities to find passion for anyone. What better way to feel good about yourself than helping someone else. Did you know that there are even organizations through which you can volunteer to be a cuddler of a NICU baby, rocking and holding them when their parents aren’t able to? Now there’s something to be passionate about.
2. Take a Class
Learning something new is a great way to bring excitement and change into your life and find a new passion. Take a course for something you’ve always wanted to try or something you thought you’d never be able to do. Courses can be academic, artistic or athletic in nature; it doesn’t matter, just go and learn.
3. Reconnect with Yourself
Sometimes it is hard to find passion in our lives because we’ve lost touch with who we are. We are so busy running from one thing to the next that we’ve forgotten to ask what is important to us. Take some time to listen to you. Find a quiet place and ask yourself what is important to you, what you value, what you want most out of life. Write it down and then look over your answers and see if there isn’t a passion in there already that is just waiting to be acted on.
4. Take it Easy
These days it almost seems like having passion in life is a necessary component of being happy. Thus everyone is searching for that one thing that makes their life worth living. I’m here to tell you that every life is worth living whether it has a burning passion or not. Lots of people live fulfilling, enjoyable lives without having a particular cause or talent. There is nothing wrong with doing many different things that you just like and take pleasure in. Perhaps one day you will find one or two things you become passionate about and perhaps you won’t. The important part is to just be happy with who you are and the life you’re living.
