When people ask what I do for a living, I often reply, “I help people successfully do what they love.” This mission has served as the cornerstone of the business since the very beginning, fourteen years ago.
Every once in a while, someone will respond, “I wish I could do what I love, but I have to pay the bills.”
If there’s one myth I’d like to dispel in the world of work, it’s that you have to choose between work you love or a paycheck. Work and life are so much more enriching when we focus on and instead of but.
My definition of Doing What You Love is this: Engaging in meaningful work that uses your passions and strengths to make a positive difference.
You can do what you love even if you’re not in your dream job yet. You can engage in meaningful work without changing careers. And you can make a positive difference in ANY role: paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time, public or behind-the-scenes, for-profit or nonprofit, volunteer or employer-based.
Here’s the thing about meaningful work and doing what you love: It’s not so much about the job, the title, or even the work itself. It’s about the spirit in which you do the work. It’s about the mindset you adopt and the attitude you choose to embrace. It’s about doing more of what lights you up and simultaneously lights up others. It’s about making things better than they were, and leaving people better than you found them.
Some particular aspects help you do what you love, and these are often what we focus on in coaching:
* Discover your strengths and how to leverage them.
* Identify your core values and how to honor them at work.
* Reconnect with your passions and structure your day in favor them as much as possible.
* Lead with vision, kindness, and grace – regardless of your title.
* Connect your work to the bigger picture. Become clear on the ‘why’. Know your purpose.
Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran holds special significance in my work and life for a variety of reasons, and I agree with him 100% when he says that work is love made visible.
You can make a living, a difference, and a life – all at the same time – by doing what you love.
So whether you’re currently in your dream job or moving in that direction, make a commitment to do what you love – starting now. Infuse your work with energy. Consider the positive difference you are making and strive to make an even greater one. Through personal development, working with a coach, and other methods of growth, decide that you will engage, serve, and do what you love.
Let your love be made visible as you live, work, and lead with purpose.
As I celebrate 14 years in business this month, I’m sharing 14 lessons – one per post – that I’ve learned (many the hard way) over the years. I hope they help you work with meaning and live with purpose!