Do What You Love To Do

Possibly the greatest advice I ever received when I was trying to make a career decision, was "do what you love, the money will follow." I didn't really believe it would work. It took me years to develop the trust implied in this idea. I guess what made me nervous was I didn't know when it would come true. Next week? Next month? Next year? I didn't know.

"Success isn't the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Herman Cain

But as I thought more and more about it, I determined that it didn't matter when the money would show up, cause if I was doing what I loved, then that in and of itself, was enjoyment.

Your desires are trying to tell you something. Honor the things you want. Give them value, weight, and importance in your life. Don't dismiss them as trivial or silly. You're having the desire for a reason.

Q: What do you see yourself doing five years from now?.
A: I have no idea. I've never had a career plan and never will. I just always make sure that I'm doing something I love at the moment, and find out where it takes me. I float down river, then I wake up and say, "Oh, here I am. I've had a swell float."

- Diane Sawyer, interviewed in US magazine, Sept., 1997

If you don't feel you can quit your job right now, then find a way to incorporate what you love to do in your free time. I've heard many people say they wanted to become writers but couldn't because they had a secure job and weren't sure if they could make enough money writing. To them I say, "Write. If that's really what you want to do, carve out a block of time and write." If you honor your desires, you will find the time to do them. If you don't, then there's something about your desire that's not clear.

"If you always do what interests you, then at least one person is pleased."

- Katharine Hepburn's mother

What is it you really enjoy doing and are you doing it? You can read more about doing what you love, and money on my Dialogue with God on Money article.

next: What Is Happiness?