What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you wake up ? Do you think that Today’s going to be a great day, I can’t wait to get to work? Or do you think It’s just another day , and I don’t really feel like going to work today? If you replied yes to the first answer then you are one of the few lucky ones who get to say that. The reality is that most people hate their job, and I can bet either you or someone you know feels the same way.
“To do something well, you must love what you do,” or, as others may know it, do what you love. It’s common knowledge to believe that most people don’t enjoy doing things they are not good at. So why would someone choose to do something everyday if they hate it? The excuse most give is money.
Some people in this world measure success though money. I want to remind you that financial success is not the only measure of success. Success can also be measured in happiness. If you believe that doing what you love will not measure up to your level of success in life because you think it won’t be enough to pay the bills, there are other ways. Sure you don’t have to have the exact job you always imagined yourself having, but you can also choose a job that fits your interest and challenges you; a job that will still live up to your standards. Some like to think of it as, “Do what you love and the money will follow.”
Thirty-five year old Lindsey Goodman is among the many adults who have decided to go back to school and change careers. Lindsey is unhappy with a career that she once believed would help her achieve her goal in life. When asked what her career was she responded with, “A full time college student.” After twelve years of being a correctional officer, Lindsey has decided to go back to school for medical coding in search of a career she would love.
On the other hand, college Freshmen Matthew Thompson, also a full time student, is undecided on his major. Right now he’s only taking the classes required for graduation which he says allows him more time to decide on his major. He feels that most people major in something they don’t want anything to do with later, and he doesn’t want to be one of those people or an adult who changes their career path ten to fifteen years down the road.
One in every four workers are unhappy with their jobs which is a 20% increase since 2001, according to a career builder survey. In the same survey, six in ten workers plan to leave their jobs to do something else within two years. It is believed that the average person is going to change their career five to seven times in their life time. This number could possibly be lowered if we would just choose a career that makes us happy in the first place. To choose a career that makes us happy or one that makes us unsatisfied? I would, as the writer Harvey MacKay once advised, “Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”
