What should you do with your life?
I’m not going to pretend that I know anything about the science behind being happy or successful, because in reality, even though I’ve shared in the rewards that both things offer from time to time, for the most part I’ve just gotten lucky.
One thing that I do know is that had I stuck with the first thing I thought I wanted to do, I would be miserable, right now, instead of drinking a Michelada by the pool and blogging on my iPhone.
Learning by living
Over the past 10 years, I have managed a health club, served as marketing manager for a tanning salon, been a real estate agent, real estate appraiser, leasing agent, apartment locator, journalist, personal trainer, sales manager for multiple companies, call center manager, custodian and a handful of other jobs that led to my current position as a video producer, marketing and social media consultant, blogger and author.
I don’t list all of these jobs to brag, nor I am intentionally trying to point out how convoluted my career path has been. What I want to emphasize is that had I not bounced around so much, tried so many things and dealt with so many different career environments, there’s no way that I would be able to even entertain the idea of working with such a diverse group of clients as I am now at such a young age (is 25 still considered young?). And I wouldn’t be this close to actually doing something that I love the rest of my life (I’m getting closer, I think).
Finding success in your life
When reflecting back on my few past successes, but more importantly, my many failures, I can’t help but see a few truths that show themselves every time I read about a new “breakout” entrepreneur.
Money vs. Happiness
Out of the above truths, I struggle with the third one more than anything else in my life. There are plenty of ways to make money and by some grand fluke, I happen to be good at several of them, but should you do something just because you are good at it, if it means doing something you’re not truly passionate about?
Money AND Happiness
It turns out that having both money and happiness is not only possible, but the two usually go hand in hand at their highest level. The key is understanding that happiness HAS to come first. Once you are doing something you love, money will follow, if that is what you desire. Being happy first is vitally important, though.
A little research will show that overnight successes are anything but. Actors who seem to break onto the scene out of nowhere have been at it for years. Entrepreneurs with million- or billion-dollar companies now had plenty of ideas that fell flat first.
I’m making myself feel better. Is it working?
Of course, I’m trying to make myself feel better for not yet being a breakout success. It makes me angry every day that I haven’t made a million dollars yet, but it also makes me work harder at finding that one thing I’m truly passionate about. When I find that one thing, watch out, because I’m taking the whole cake, frosting, ice cream and all.
Don’t get me wrong
I don’t want you to read this and think that I’m just going through the motions with everything in my life, until I find my true passion. Quite the opposite. I feel that everything I’m working on now is leading up to my ultimate goal and passion project, whatever that might be. By doing the best job I can do and learning from every success and every failure, I know that it will be the culmination of all my efforts that bring greatness to my passion project in the end. Learning well by living well is very important to me.
What are you passionate about?
In my experience, hearing other people talk about their passions is not only uplifting, but insightful. What are you passionate about? How did you discover your passion? What road did you take or are you taking to make the most of that passion?
