Are you at a crossroads career wise? Do you wonder if there is more to life than a meaningless 9-5 routine? If you’ve reached a point where work no longer excites you and yet is threatening to consume you, here are the five key reasons why you should take destiny into your hands by creating your dream career.
1. It is possible- You should strive to find the work you love, because you can. Think about it, three hundred years ago, cooks and actors lived from hand to mouth. Today they are some of the wealthiest and most influential people in the world. Sure times have changed, but that’s my point exactly. People make times change by condoning what they must and improving what they are unwilling to accept.
Need more convincing? After E. Robert Parker fell in love with wine during a trip to France, he launched a website and began to share ‘wine tips’ with a handful of enthusiasts. These days his newsletter is over 40,000 readers strong and Parker earns millions from a $99 annual subscription fee, a series of books, palm pilot services and various spin offs.
Another dreamer, Johnathan Wendel, makes a full time living playing computer games. According to the New York Times, Wendel has earned more than $300,000 from tournaments, product endorsements and a line of accessories he markets. With a bit of courage and proper planning, you too can turn your hobbies, interests and expertise into streams of profit!
2. Healthier too- It’s stressful committing week after week to a job your heart’s not in. Add office politics to the mix and it becomes even more distressing. People are happier doing work they love- even despite poor pay and other less than favourable conditions.
And happy is good. According to Medical News Today, there is growing evidence that positive emotions such as happiness are linked to good health and increased longevity. But work love doesn’t have to equate to poverty. With expert support and guidance you too can have the total package you deserve. So make up your mind to follow the path to enjoyable and rewarding work.
3. Good fun- It’s really obvious that actors, models and musicians generally enjoy the work they do. Perhaps this is why the demand for such jobs is overwhelming. People who enjoy their jobs come across as more confident, intelligent and attractive. They inspire others to enter that line of work as well, with hopes of finding a little happiness.
Everybody’s different. Some people are passionate about cleaning, shopping or organising and a few funeral directors have claimed that theirs is the best job in the world. If you want a continuous sense of excitement and satisfaction, keep exploring yourself and making time for the things you love to do. But as we all have to make a living one way or the other, incorporating meaningful interests into business opportunities will guarantee the lifestyle of your dreams.
4. Compelling stuff- There is a primal need in us all; a need to express our creativity as we know best. Many smother this instinct in their quest for money, prestige or simply to satisfy influential family members. But every once in a while we feel a twinge, a thirst, a stirring, a wrench, a deep-seated longing to fulfil our dreams, a desire to be set free. Never mind if most people choose to cower in corporate cubicles, be brave and commit to doing work that fulfils the unique purpose for which your life exists.
5. It makes sense- Many people spend the best years of their lives doing meaningless work and save their ‘real dreams’ until retirement. But as retirement years may never come, it’s best to live each day as fully as we can.
Indeed some retirees find that whilst time is plentiful, courage is just as difficult to come by as it was in their youth. After a few boat cruises and fire brigade DIY attempts, many retirees still end up bored and unfulfilled. In a nutshell, unadventurous people don’t suddenly become audacious in their golden years. If you take action today, you may find that meaningful work is closer than you think.
>>>
At some point in our lives, we will start to ask ourselves some hard questions. We will want to see the meaningful things we have achieved and the ways we have made a positive difference in the lives of others. And hopefully long before our prime is past, we will start to notice our talents and wonder why we never did much with them…
*******
Ogo Ogbata is a multi talented writer, speaker and consultant. Founder of the Creativity & Sense Network, she empowers people to create simple, balanced and fulfilled lives by discovering, developing and harnessing hidden potential.
GET THE TOOLS you need to make a living doing what you love!
Another great article!
Something else to consider is that working often costs money: the cost of transportation, purchase and cleaning of clothes you really don’t want to buy or wear otherwise, meals/drinks you have as part of your workday or to unwind from the stress, tools and equipment etc. If the new career that interest you allows you to work from home more often or doesn’t require special uniforms or dry-clean-only suits, you may find that at the same salary, you’ll have more in your bank account at the end of the month–as well as more satisfaction at the end of the day.
Resume to Referral
Resume and Career Services
http://www.resumetoreferral.com
Great insight, Resume Professional!
Most people would consider a 6 figure salary pretty impressive but often we pay the price for certain high flying jobs be it emotionally (stress levels), time-wise (at the expense of family life and other more meaningful pursuits or financially (huge taxes, transport costs, expensive living etcetera). True, nothing goes for nothing at the end of the day, but we’ve got to make a proper assessment of what’s really important and what price we can afford to pay.