How to Do What You Love

As I’ve been reading and researching for this piece I’ve encountered the other side of what I’m supposed to write about. I was surprised to see that there is a whole side against ‘doing what you love’. Arguments vary from “it prevents you from living in the present” and “money might not follow”. I guess they do have a point that making someone do what they love cannot always be the perfect solution. From what I’ve read I can assume that not everyone is meant to do what they love. But if you had the opportunity to do so, by all means grab it.

Not everyone’s happiness is the same. Some may exist without a lick of it, while others center their lives on it. If you are the kind of person who wants a happy life then do what you love. The arguments against happiness in business have outrageous claims that being gleeful is overrated, or people who believe in joviality are misinformed. After reading both sides I still firmly believe that doing what you love is the way to go, and I’m not alone in this.

“You’ve got to find what you love… Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”   – Steve Jobs

“There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions – in a way that serves the world and you.” – Richard Branson

If these two people believe in doing what you love then I do too. Here is how to do what you love.

One Step at a Time

If you’re fresh from college or transitioning from your work to your passion, just take it slowly. Before you do any major steps, just plan things out and have a good vision of what you’re about to do. Take into consideration all of the things that you may need in your new endeavor like cash, support systems, and networks. Doing what you love doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll love everything all the time, so take it one step at a time.

Have a Mentor

Mentors are great sources of tips, advice, guidance and training. Don’t be shy to ask for help, especially to the ones who’ve proven themselves before. They will be willing and very happy to teach you a thing or two.

Be Helpful

You’ll need a lot of help when you’re pursuing your passion, but that doesn’t mean that you should be totally useless. When learning new skills and information, offer to do some work in return. For example, if you’re shadowing a martial arts teacher, offer to facilitate a practice drill or help by cleaning the dojo after a class.

Go Out of Your Comfort Zone

And lastly, don’t think for a second that you know everything about your passion. Even if you were interested in it for a very long time, there will be new information and skills that you should learn, and that means the necessity to study and train. You will be uncomfortable in acquiring fresh knowledge and abilities but stepping outside your comfort zone will give you the edge in your new undertaking.