HOW TO Actually Live your Passion

Turning What You Love into What You Do
By Patrick J. O’Connor

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road’ll take you there.” ~Lewis Carroll, “Alice in Wonderland”

It’s good advice to tell someone to follow their dreams, live their passion and love what they do. Listen to any graduation speaker. The speaker gives the standard advice but very little guidance on how to actually live your passion, follow your dream or love what you do. The difficult part is overlooked at the commencement address. Most people are left to figure this out on their own. There is a better way. The next series of blog segments will provide guidance for people to turn what they love into what they do. Read on.

The careers/lives of successful people were captured via the Road Less Traveled (RLT) series from AroundKent magazine. The series morphed into this Boomer and Beyond blog, “Turning What You Love into What You Do.” The AroundKent series and the blog segments revealed a process people can follow to turn what they love into what they do. And they can use this process as often as they wish along their life/career path. 

The process relates to adopting the RLT Mindset which essentially means to take control of your future. The process includes three steps; examine, explore, and envision. There are three main points along the career continuum where the steps apply: initial, transitional and encore. The process can be followed as often as needed. Considering young people today can expect to change jobs and/or careers as many as 12 times, this process may become a basic skill to navigate all those career changes. 

The Process
The following process can guide anyone at any point along their career continuum to turn what they love into what they do. What and when to use the process follows.

WHAT:
Examine where you have been in life. This is done by conducting a lifeline exercise to determine your interests, what you value and your career themes (December 2020 blog segment). This can reveal multiple interests which may guide you to new career possibilities. Also, review the ten career themes/qualities of the Road Less Traveled subjects (RLT Volume 20). Reflect on your experience with each of these and if you wish to develop any of them further.

Explore a career area (health, IT, manufacturing, etc.) by doing a basic internet search on the career area. Then, search for trade and/or professional associations related to the career area, such as my example for the video game industry (November 2020 Blog segment). These associations are devoted to the betterment of the industry and those who work in it. They are also excellent sources for networking and informational interviewing. An informational interview is an opportunity to meet/talk with someone in the industry. People love to share what they do and where they work. These interviews usually lead to some excellent networking, internships or even a full or part-time position.

Envision the future you wish to create (this is part of creating it). This is a good time to brainstorm and think big. What will it take to pursue your passion? What obstacles must you overcome? Identify specific plans to get where you want to go. For example, join a professional association, do active networking, plan for additional education, training, or credentialing to launch you toward the vision you have.

WHEN: This process can be used at the following three points along the career continuum… 

Initial – This point typically occurs three times – upon high school and/or college graduation, and someone who attends high school or college without completing. This last group is often overlooked. 

Transitional – This career change point can be mid or late career and occur multiple times. The transition can be voluntary or forced. Many people purposefully change careers for a variety of reasons. Others are forced into a career change for a variety of reasons often beyond their control. 

Encore – The encore point occurs when a retiree wants to re-enter the workforce full or part time. Many retirees find they miss the benefits associated from their work and decide to work again. This return can take different forms such as starting a business, working part-time, or embarking on a completely different career. This can happen multiple times.

Coming Up:
The next blog segments will be brief case studies of how people have used the process at different points along the career continuum. The first case chronicles the approach a college senior is taking to turn what she loves into what she does.

“Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” ~Albert Schweitzer

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