How to do what you love (excellent article)

[Gardenarian]

Here is a great article (http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html) by Paul Graham.

Here are a couple paragraphs from the beginning:

To do something well you have to like it. That idea is not exactly novel. We've got it down to four words: "Do what you love." But it's not enough just to tell people that. Doing what you love is complicated.

The very idea is foreign to what most of us learn as kids. When I was a kid, it seemed as if work and fun were opposites by definition. Life had two states: some of the time adults were making you do things, and that was called work; the rest of the time you could do what you wanted, and that was called playing. Occasionally the things adults made you do were fun, just as, occasionally, playing wasn't—for example, if you fell and hurt yourself. But except for these few anomalous cases, work was pretty much defined as not-fun.

And it did not seem to be an accident. School, it was implied, was tedious because it was preparation for grownup work.

[catherine]

I tend to not like the idea of "Do What You Love, Money Will Follow." You love knitting, go ahead and make a bunch of sweaters and charge minimum wage per hour x the number of hours you worked on those sweaters and see if you get rich.

I do like the idea of living your life in service to people and finding out the conjunction between what you are destined to do and what will best serve others. I just read a great new book by James Altucher called Choose Yourself, which I found very interesting and in it he says to every day wake up and figure out how you're going to save a life.

Here are some things I tend to believe:

There are times in life when you have to do a lot of stuff you don't want to do.
You think you need a lot more money generally than you really do
If you have a family, you need more money than you think you do.
Hard work and discipline is the gas for the "do what you love" car
Most jobs are soul-sucking--that's the society we live in today
However, as with everything, your attitude dictates what you do with that soul-sucking job
Thankfully today there is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurship
Joy comes from serving others
Sometimes serving others is not sexy
Often you don't know what the hell you want
Then you have to listen to the Universe
And be grateful for what comes next

[ApatheticNoMore]

To do something well you have to like it. That idea is not exactly novel.

But of course that's not true, to do something well you just need to be committed to doing it well. Perhaps to be exceptional at something you have to like it but not just to do something well (and employers are almost always only looking for the latter - often times just looking for someone to do something reasonably competently :)). Do you like doing your dishes, doing your taxes etc.? Do they get done?

[Gardenarian]

I tend to not like the idea of "Do What You Love, Money Will Follow." You love knitting, go ahead and make a bunch of sweaters and charge minimum wage per hour x the number of hours you worked on those sweaters and see if you get rich.


The article really speaks to that - how to support yourself while not giving up your dreams.
But it is more focused on figuring out what it is you really love, because a lot of people (including myself) are still uncovering layers and discovering what our destiny is.
I particularly like what he has to say about not following prestige.

[catherine]

The article really speaks to that - how to support yourself while not giving up your dreams.
But it is more focused on figuring out what it is you really love, because a lot of people (including myself) are still uncovering layers and discovering what our destiny is.
I particularly like what he has to say about not following prestige.

I totally agree with what you're saying about discovering our destiny.. however, in my experience, life has taken me by surprise and down hallways I didn't know existed. So I tend to rebel against "What Color Is Your Parachute" kind of stuff.

I certainly agree with the idea of not following prestige. Another great book if you're interested is Work Less Make More by Jennifer White. Really insightful.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I find the prestige stuff really odd, I'm sure it figures in there somewhere among motivations (hey it probably figures into the many reasons why you don't quit your job to become a freegan or something :)), but I think for most people jobs are pretty obviously more about having an income and security than prestige. Is prestige just not being poor and having that stigma?

[catherine]

I find the prestige stuff really odd, I'm sure it figures in there somewhere among motivations (hey it probably figures into the many reasons why you don't quit your job to become a freegan or something :)), but I think for most people jobs are pretty obviously more about having an income and security than prestige. Is prestige just not being poor and having that stigma?

A lot of people go after professions that have status. Doctors and lawyers--parents all over the world are pushing their kids into professions like that, even if they are no longer high-earning. And people do go into jobs that will give them status. That's where the term "glamour job" came about. They pay little, but they're "cool."

[gadder]

Wow - what an article - thanks. It really resonates. This one will take a while to digest.

[sweetana3]

I was an odd child. I studied occupations by doing a lot of reading of occupation handbooks and college catalogs to figure out requirements. I decided I wanted to work with money and loved being a detective. Took 2 years of college accounting and related classes. Amazingly I got a job with the IRS which was working with money and details. Then in my career I got to work with the Taxpayer Advocate which was being a detective and figuring out strange and complex problems with all divisions. It was pretty glorious that I got my dream job by a fluke.

[catherine]

I was an odd child. I studied occupations by doing a lot of reading of occupation handbooks and college catalogs to figure out requirements. I decided I wanted to work with money and loved being a detective. Took 2 years of college accounting and related classes. Amazingly I got a job with the IRS which was working with money and details. Then in my career I got to work with the Taxpayer Advocate which was being a detective and figuring out strange and complex problems with all divisions. It was pretty glorious that I got my dream job by a fluke.

Shoot, sweetana, you're just what I need! I was just on the phone with the IRS today about my ridiculous tax bill. I've been thinking about applying to get a Taxpayer Advocate. See, you have provided a very valuable service to many people in your career. Good for you!

[Spartana]

I was lucky to be able to find a profession that I loved, suited my personality and interests, and paid me a bit of money too - also one I felt was in the service of others. But often times those jobs require a lifestyle that isn't for everyone or doesn't suit the other, equally important, things you may want in your life (like a home, spouse, kids, dog, etc...). For instance ex-BIL was a pilot and wanted to be a Missionary Pilot in Africa. He longed to do that with every fiber of his being. But he also wanted to have a "regular" life with spouse, kids, house and a white picket fence! His wife (my SIL) was a ships captain and had just as much longing to do her job too. So they had to make choices about "the dream jobs" vs the other aspects of their lives they wanted.

[catherine]

So they had to make choices about "the dream jobs" vs the other aspects of their lives they wanted.

Yup--doing what you love requires sacrifice. You have to have a passion for it that supercedes the downside.


ETA: I just checked in at Daniel Suelo's website (http://www.zerocurrency.blogspot.com) and he says:

Who of us truly does our own work
of our own nature,
not because we are paid,
either bribed by paychecks,
by school grades,
by guilt or praise,
by rewards of heaven or hell:
all work prescribed by others.

Why do we worry about the work of others,
leaving our own undone?
Better one's own work, done imperfectly,
than another's work well performed.
--Bhagavad Gita 3:33

Kind of appropriate, don't you think?

[ApatheticNoMore]

What if what you'd love to do is create a world where people didn't spend so much of their lives in soul sucking work? I'm not just being clever. It strikes me as a truly worthy purpose.

[catherine]

What if what you'd love to do is create a world where people didn't spend so much of their lives in soul sucking work? I'm not just being clever. It strikes me as a truly worthy purpose.

Yes, ANM--a truly visionary and noble quest! And I thought you were a cynic!

[ToomuchStuff]

I tend to not like the idea of "Do What You Love, Money Will Follow."

I do like the idea of living your life in service to people and finding out the conjunction between what you are destined to do and what will best serve others.
I agree on the first part, but living in service of others, doesn't sound like fun to introverts, IMHE. Over the years, things I enjoyed, turned into chores, when they became work and other people's issues became involved. You do have to try to find some fun in your work, for your sanity, but my experience was don't make fun into work.
I've grown acclimated to being around people, but that was out of necessity. Where I work has been in the various media, over the years, and I have always tried to stay out of it. Three times, unfortunately, unsuccessfully (one that gets me was a book I was put into and told about afterwards).
Our economy is parasitic in nature. Even those you think help others (Doctors for example), first require there to be some problem.

[Spartana]

I agree on the first part, but living in service of others, doesn't sound like fun to introverts, IMHE. Over the years, things I enjoyed, turned into chores, when they became work and other people's issues became involved. You do have to try to find some fun in your work, for your sanity, but my experience was don't make fun into work.
I've grown acclimated to being around people, but that was out of necessity. Where I work has been in the various media, over the years, and I have always tried to stay out of it. Three times, unfortunately, unsuccessfully (one that gets me was a book I was put into and told about afterwards).
Our economy is parasitic in nature. Even those you think help others (Doctors for example), first require there to be some problem.Well service to others doesn't mean you have to actually interact with people. Lots of "heroes" who are in service to others that never come in contact with those they help. And of course, depending on what you are doing and how well it suits your temperament, it can be tons of fun. Certainly better for some then a 9 to 5 office gig.

[catherine]

Well service to others doesn't mean you have to actually interact with people. Lots of "heroes" who are in service to others that never come in contact with those they help. And of course, depending on what you are doing and how well it suits your temperament, it can be tons of fun. Certainly better for some then a 9 to 5 office gig.

I meant to respond to TooMuchStuff and got busy--but you took the words right out of my mouth. Service is a broad, wide-open concept. You can be a writer and be of great service, you can be a garbage man at 5am and never see anyone at that ungodly hour and be of service, you can be a tech geek writing code in a cube that winds up connecting millions of people, you can be like iris lily and me delving into data alone in our offices and finding joy and meaning in that.

When you feel you are connected to the web of life through your service to others--either paid or unpaid--you are just happier, IMHO.

[Gardenarian]

I have at times loved my work and almost always liked it and found it satisfying. The service aspect of librarianship is gratifying, and it is the hugs and thanks from grateful patrons that have got me through the harder times.

I'm done with being a librarian now (though still working, but not for long), and I'm exploring what is going to come next. Money is less of an issue than in the past, and I have the freedom to explore all of my interests.

[zcsimmons]

For a while I have admired those people who were able to turn their hobby into a career. While some people have been real successful at it, some have not. But I have also learned to turn the current job into something that I loved to do. At one point in time, I was never a people person. But when I got a job at a fast food restaurant, and had to communicate with customers on a regular basis I turned it into something that I loved to do.

[awakenedsoul]

I didn't read the whole article, but I'm lucky in that I loved my work. As a teenager I used to babysit and work as a "mother's helper." I made a lot of money and it really gave me self confidence. My mom was a housewife, and she was excellent at cooking, housekeeping, and keeping us in line. So, she was a good example of someone who chose to work in the home. My dad had his own business, and he was very well liked by his customers. He sold the business and was able to retire early. So, I had another good example of someone who enjoyed going to work each day. I dreamed of being a dancer and my dance teachers were happy with their job. They encouraged us and paid me to help them teach, which also built my self esteem and gave me money to pay for classes.

I still go to classes and auditions. I feel elated when I do well at an audition, even if I don't get the part. I just love singing, performing, and show business. I can't stay in a job I hate or I become completely negative. I think using your talents in your work is key.

[Spartana]

Yup--doing what you love requires sacrifice. You have to have a passion for it that supercedes the downside.


ETA: I just checked in at Daniel Suelo's website (http://www.zerocurrency.blogspot.com) and he says:

Who of us truly does our own work
of our own nature,
not because we are paid,
either bribed by paychecks,
by school grades,
by guilt or praise,
by rewards of heaven or hell:
all work prescribed by others.

Why do we worry about the work of others,
leaving our own undone?
Better one's own work, done imperfectly,
than another's work well performed.
--Bhagavad Gita 3:33

Kind of appropriate, don't you think?Missed this before - but very nice. I do think that following a passion (or at least something you enjoy) is important. It can be difficult sometimes - especially if you want other things in life besides your job or if it is all consuming job or requires an unorthodox lifestyle (not a 9 to 5 kind of job). I think it often requires flexibility and openness to other ways of living at the least, and often great personal sacrifice at the most.