Hello!! 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻 Me again.
I hope you’ve all had an amazing week, recharged on the weekend, and are ready to rip into the new week. If not, maybe it’s a good time to reflect on what is missing in your life. Because “better is always possible.”
I am so tired of hearing people blather on about how you should “follow your passion”; it is a dangerous idea.
There is a grain of truth to the idea, which is what makes it both so compelling – and so dangerous. It leads to too many people searching endlessly for some “perfect job” that does not exist. The “perfect job” is a myth; you need to design and create a job that is perfect.
A job that is not perfect for anyone else, but for you!
You are unique.
That means that if you’re hopping from job to job, endlessly dreaming about how great things will be when you finally land your dream job, you’re on a fool’s errand. That’s what’s on my mind this week.
Enjoy the read, and have an amazing week.
As always, hit me up by email at tim@timparkins.com
Tim
Reality Check: “Follow Your Passion” Is Terrible Advice.
Today, I want to tackle a saying you’ve probably heard before:
“Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Of course, that sounds ideal! Who wouldn’t want that? While charming, this phrase masks the complexity of the real world and of what makes humans tick. It is a dangerous phrase that can lead you to chase endlessly for some “perfect job” that simply does not exist.
De-bunking Common Myths
Myth 1: Doing What You Love Prevents Burnout
Doing what you love is a piece of the puzzle, but it isn’t a magical shield against burnout. Let’s face it—no matter how much you enjoy your work, it can still be draining. You will still experience stress, tight deadlines, and challenging relationships. It’s not a matter of if these things happen, but when.
Myth 2: You Want to Eliminate Stress
Wait, what? I hear you yelling at me, telling me that of course you want to eliminate stress from your life. Sorry, but you’re wrong; stress helps keep you – and our species – alive. So unless you aren’t into this whole living thing, you need stress in your life. Bummer. What you really want is to reduce stress down to a level you can effectively manage.
Myth 3: Time is Just a Number
Working 80 hours a week at a job you adore? That’s not passion—that’s a fast track to burnout! Careers last a really long time; sprinting all the way will leave you collapsed of exhaustion well short of the finish line. You need to go at a sustainable pace. There are moments in your career where sprinting is the right decision. There are other moments where a steady, more relaxed pace is called for. Quality time spent on non-work-related activities is vital. Whether it’s listening to some music, reading, kayaking, soaking in a bath, or spending time with your loved ones, these moments of “you-time” are key to keeping you advancing in your career – and your life.
Myth 4: External Factors Don’t Matter
You may love your work, but what about your work environment? Factors such as a-hole co-workers, a shitty boss, or problem clients can tip the balance and contribute to misery and resentment. What about your pay? A lot of folks today claim that you should only take work you love. That may mean trading you and your family’s health and security, which co-relate to your income up to a certain level, for having “work that you love”. I am not at all saying that you should base all your career-related decisions on money. You haven’t been listening to me at all, if that’s what you thought. What I am saying is to stop putting yourself on a pedestal, thinking that money doesn’t matter; it does. It doesn’t make you evil to admit it.
What to do about it?
So now that I’ve convinced that the “follow your passion” tripe is nonsense, what the hell are you supposed to do with that information? After all, as I am constantly saying, knowledge is not enough; you must take action.
My answer?
“Design your work life. And then get started building it. Now, not tomorrow.”
Simple? Yes. Easy? Hell, no!
That’s why you need help. Reach out to others, to friends, to family, to professionals. This stuff is hard. That’s why you haven’t achieved it yet, and why so few have.
Don’t spend another minute chasing your imaginary “dream job”.
Instead, get to work building a life and career that will light you on fire. 🔥❤️🔥And use that fire to inspire others to do the same.
Quotation that I have been pondering
The Italian artist Michelangelo understood something fundamental, which led him to state that:
“Genius is eternal patience.”
This is an astute insight. We all have something special locked inside us, awaiting the right conditions to blossom and unfold.
Our job is to create those conditions so that we can become who we can become, and then to be patient enough to allow it to happen.
You can’t rush the oak tree out of the acorn; you can just create the right conditions for it and allow things to unfold.
Journal Prompt
It feels like we are in a collective state of anxiety, as media bombards us with news and negativity. This leaves us with the perception that we need to jump from one crisis to another, with no end in sight.
Everything seems to be up for grabs; democracy, freedom, the financial system, the environment, education, and even our way of living together.
This is not a sustainable way to live; society cannot flourish when most people feel negative and anxious. We need hope and optimism, now more than ever.
Which leads to this week’s journal prompt:
“What most excites me about the future?”
Rather than focusing on the “doom and gloom”, force yourself to imagine an incredible future. Once you’ve done that, consider what action you might take to move us closer to that future; one little, tiny step. Something you can do today.
It won’t change the world. But it will change you. And changing yourself is the first step towards changing the world.
