Possibilities and options for pursuing a passion or continuing in with a day job which does not meet your aspirations but meets your needs to make a living.

In the quest of making your present job and career more satisfying, here’s an excerpt from a coaching session which some of you might relate to.

David: I love doing <THIS> but make money doing that. <THIS> is my passion and <THAT> is my day job, what I’ve been doing over the years and that makes my living.

CC: Do you love doing <THIS> and hate doing <THAT>?

David:  Well, no I don’t hate doing <THAT>. It’s only that I really love spending my time on <THIS>, it was a hobby now it is more of a passion and I see many people making a living doing <THIS> so perhaps the time has come for to evaluate if I can pursue <THIS> as a long-term career.

CC: Can you be happy continuing to do that and just use <THIS> as a part-time hobby?

David:  Knowing that people can make a living doing <THIS>, I am in two minds now. I want to find out if I can make a living doing <THIS>.

CC: How will you find out?

David:  By researching more on how people are doing it or perhaps jumping in myself and finding out I really can.

CC: Can you afford to leave your work and live on your savings? And for how long?

David:  That not quite possible at present. I have a family, kids, mortgage – just can’t leave my well paying job for an uncertain future. Uncertain now, maybe .. but.. <mumbles on…>

CC: What would you do if you could not leave your job?

David:  I would perhaps continue doing what I am doing now and feel miserable that I did not give my passion a full try. And that’s why I so confused.

CC: How can you give your passion your hobby a complete try?

David: I would have to spend more hours and perhaps some investment, but I am already completely tied up at work and cannot take away the time from my family. I don’t have any time to free up?

CC: Are you ready to free up some time to explore further?

David: No I don’t think so I tried but it was just not possible. I cannot find extra time that I really need to get this to a full blown work. I don’t think I can.

CC: Do you like your work?

David: Yes, I do.

CC: Do you love what you do at that?

David: I .. Don’t know perhaps I love more <THIS> than <THAT>.

CC: Is it a possibility that you can add a little bit of <THIS> to <THAT> at work, if you talk to your supervisors on taking more responsibility?

Deep pause…

David: Ah! I never thought about that. Maybe I could. I’ll take a day to think about that because some part of me seems excited to delve deeper on this possibility. Talk to you day after. And THANKS!

Two days later…

David: You know what talked to my boss, there’s a team trying to integrate something similar to <THIS> into my present work. I would have never known had I not put across this idea to him. I expressed my desire to integrate a little bit of <THIS> in my present project. Now that he knows that I already have some experience at <THIS> he was equally excited to see what I had to show off on what I have worked on for the last one year. He was impressed. He wants me to get the proposal ready by next week so we can take over some tasks from the other team to incorporate in our project. Boy, am I excited!

CC: How do you feel about it all?

David: I feel as if a cobweb has been removed off my vision and mind. I am now excited to go to work tomorrow. I feel I can contribute more and in the direction that I would love to. It’s a weight off the shoulders, I’m not in the dilemma anymore of putting in extra hours doing <THIS> because now it is a part of my daily work routine! Often we see our hobbies and passions and our work as two separate paths; it’s not often that the realization dawns that there is a possibility of merging them together then there’s no better combination to work satisfaction and happiness. I don’t have to give up <THIS> or <THAT>, because <THIS> perhaps can never get me the money I need to meet my needs and <THAT> on it’s own does not emotionally and professionally satisfy me; but bringing them together on some front works perfectly to me. Thanks, Enlightenment Dawns and it’s wonderful!

Now add your current passion and profession to <THIS> and <THAT> respectively and see what works for you.

Please share your thoughts if you have been through similar introspection lately.