I have many interests, a full-time job, a family and a fairly busy life. I also have lots of questions: How do I turn one of my interests into a career? Are these just hobbies? Am I even any good or just a “jack of all trades and master at none”? How do I fine tune this into a source of income?
Does this resonate with anyone else? We can be passionate about our interests, but let’s be honest: we still enjoy eating, a place to live and there will always be bills to pay. How do you know what to do?
Or maybe you are one of the lucky ones who stumbled upon their passion at a young age, made a successful career out of it and never looked back. Or maybe you had that passion, and now that you’re older you struggle to find the old flame that used to burn so brightly. Whatever category you fit in, we all want to do what we love and love what we do! We all want to live out the old adage, “Do what you love and never work a day in your life.”
I can’t say I’ve found a sure-fire recipe for achieving this that applies to everyone, but here are some things that have helped guide me on my journey to discovering my passion.
START ASKING QUESTIONS
What did you enjoy doing as a child before life got busy and complicated? What are you doing when you completely lose track of time? When was the last time you forgot to look at your phone? What were you doing that made you lose track? What do you enjoy so much you would even do it for free?
Once upon a time I wanted to be a professional athlete. I am still athletic, and I’ve put in a lot of effort, but I am fairly certain this goal won’t happen at this point in my life. I also always loved photographs. I was fascinated by moments captured in photography, and as I got older videography. This was even before you could capture everything on your phone and see it instantly. These were early signs of my passion, but I grew up in a time where life’s goals weren’t so much about pursuing passions. The focus was on getting good grades, graduating college and getting a secure job. It was drilled into us to “just get a degree and you will never be out of work.” Things changed just a little bit, didn’t they?
These days I can get lost when I am flying my DJI Mavic Air 2 drone. No, I don’t mean losing the drone. I mean time seems to stand still when I’m out flying. I could spend hours trying to compose and capture the perfect shot. Whether it is a beautiful sunrise over a city as I captured recently in Nashville, Tennessee, or some newly paved roads for my client, Beazer Homes, this “work” ignites something deep inside.
PRACTICE PLUS MORE PRACTICE AND NEVER STOP LEARNING
If I had my way, I would love to get up early every day to fly my drone or walk around with my camera looking for unique photo opportunities and video ideas. But like I said, I do have a full-time job, so this just isn’t feasible for me…for now. So, I practice when I can and get in as much flying time as possible. I try to take advantage of every opportunity to get better because one day these dreams will become reality. I’m going to be ready.
I can look at the photos I took when I first started flying and see the progress I have made when compared to some of my more recent photos. This doesn’t mean I have stopped learning or I have arrived at perfection, but the more I practice the better I get, and the more confident I become. And honestly, I love practicing! This is play, not work.
JUST SHIP IT!
These words from Seth Godin speak to me. I have to admit I can sometimes overthink and be a perfectionist. Okay, “sometimes” might be an understatement, but I want the photos and/or video I present to be the best possible. I will notice each and every nuance and drive myself crazy trying to get it “just right.” I am working on this part of me each and every day. Quality is always important, but getting my work out there is even more important. It won’t matter how good my work is if no one ever sees it.
We have all had a dream at some point and life can easily get in the way. It’s easy to get discouraged and stop pursuing our passions. Every one of us has a passion that also solves a problem or fills a need for someone else. We need each other to go after what we’re truly meant to do. I will continue to put myself out there whether it is on social media, writing blogs like this or networking. And you should too!
SLOW GROWTH
Why isn’t this happening fast enough? We need to realize this is a process and slow growth is the name of the game. Each and every day, continue to learn, practice and “ship it.” This will not be an overnight success, but with patience and perseverance, each small step we take forward every day will give us the results we have been dreaming of some day! Now off to “practice what I preach”!
If you have been pursuing turning your passion into a career or working towards a dream job, what is the best advice you could give? Comment below! I’d love to hear!
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