If money wasn’t an issue and you could do anything as your career or job, what would it be?
I have probably asked that question to 100 different people. Sometimes I ask out of pure curiosity, while other times I am hoping to inspire. Most of the people I ask are miserable at their current job and yet they feel as if they have no other choice. It is easy to feel that way, especially in this economy where jobs are scarce and you feel lucky just to be working. Typically the answers I get are thought of as hobbies or interests, but if you dig a little deeper they are things these individuals would do simply for the joy it brings them.
Once I get an answer to the first question, I follow-up with this. Well why aren’t you doing that? I generally get a laundry list of reasons why they can’t, won’t, don’t have the time/money/resources etc. to do the things that bring them joy. It is at that moment I realize most people aren’t doing things that they love because they have grown to believe that it isn’t worthwhile. Some believe doing something for the simple joy of it is a waste of time and might just be a little selfish.
I couldn’t disagree more. I believe we are all meant to do the things that bring us joy and the more we do it, the happier we are. So why do we believe that our happiness is wrong?
If someone asked me the same question I have asked so many (and believe me I have asked myself many times), I would say this: I want to help people find their joy and inspire, empower, and encourage them to do the things they didn’t think they could do. I have done this in many ways throughout my life through coaching high school kids, encouraging my friends and co-workers, but I decided I wanted something more. I am now choosing to allow my joy to become my career as a life coach, (in the not too distant future), and I can’t wait to go to “work” loving what I do every single day. (I will share more about how I decided that life coaching was for me in another post, stay tuned.)
I believe in doing things that bring us joy and happiness. I believe in the magical essence of dreams fulfilled and wishes coming true, but most of all, I believe each one of us have the ability and opportunity to do the things make us happy, but like with everything else in life, it is a choice. You make the choice to give yourself permission to be happy. You make the choice to dream. You make the choice to set an intention to do work you love and believe that the money and everything else that is needed will follow. What do you choose? A guaranteed mediocre future, or the unknown with more possibilities for happiness than you can even imagine?
With that said my question to you is this…If money wasn’t an issue and you could do anything as your career/job, what would it be and are you doing it? Leave me a comment, I would love to know!
If money wasn’t an issue and I could do anything as my career/job, I would be writing and creating (arts/crafts). I am finding ways to incorporate both into my life more and more. I hope to someday find the way to make them income producing at a sufficient level to make them my career, but until that time comes, they are adding lots of joy to my life!
KJ,
Sometimes I think the idea of money and having to make a certain amount spoils the craft in some way. Of course we all need to make a living and yet it seems that you have to choose money or doing something you love, but rarely both. The key is that to make something you love a money maker you simply must not give up. I admire your venture recently into beginning your crafting again! I can’t wait to see some of your work.
Thanks! I’m having so much fun!