Passion is Primary
If you have passion for what you do, it will increase the likelihood that you will succeed. When true passion is present, even if you do not reach the level of success you had hoped for, you will no doubt experience the joy of being engaged in something that makes you happy. The pursuit of something we are passionate about is, in and of itself, a joyful experience.
It is important to differentiate between genuine passion and the desire to accomplish something because there is a metaphorical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Working hard at a sales job, because you might be able to make a good living, means you are money motivated. It does not, in and of itself, mean that you are passionate about the product or service you are selling.
People who are passionate about the products they represent view making money as a happy byproduct of what they are doing. Individuals who have revolutionized industries were working for much more than money. They had a deep and abiding passion for what they were doing and the wealth they gained was merely an outgrowth of their exercise of that passion.
We can be both passionate and practical when it comes to pursuing a career path. At times, it might be necessary to take a job we do not love in order to earn enough money to sustain ourselves while we pursue our passion. This owing to the fact that it often takes time for the full exercise of our passion to pay off.
We all dream of those things we love to do. Unfortunately, too many of us relegate our passions to the recesses of our minds, only to be played out as hazy daydreams.
The formula for success is clear. We can pursue our passions and be practical at the same time. This can be accomplished if we prepare ourselves for the rigors of following our passions and plan accordingly. Then, with time and some luck, we will be likely to succeed. And if we do not go as far as we would have liked to, we will have at least enjoyed what we were doing.
You can reach me with your questions and comments at Jay@CYinterview.com