Doing What You Love For a Living

What were your dreams when you were a child?

Did you dream of being a heroic firefighter? A famous singer? President of the United States?

What happened to those dreams? If you’re like most people, you were told how unrealistic your dreams were and you were encouraged to be more practical. “Get a real job” is the phrase many of us heard from parents, teachers and other authority figures in our lives.

If you have buried those long-ago dreams so deeply in your subconscious mind that you can no longer even remember them, don’t despair! A little introspection can help bring them to the surface, but even if they remain hidden, there is one important thing to remember:

You are not the same person now that you were back then!

While it is possible to rekindle a dream you’ve held since childhood, you do not have to. Instead, let new dreams make themselves known to you. Ask yourself what type of work would make you feel most fulfilled. Ask yourself how you can best make a contribution to the world by doing something you truly love.

It sounds simple in theory, but how do you start? Many of us have fallen completely out of touch with our passions. We’re so focused on the things we HAVE to do that we have no time for play or exploration.

I’m going to be blunt with you: there is no other alternative but to MAKE time. Set aside some time to really get to know yourself. Figure out what you like to do, or explore new activities so you can decide whether they might be one of your true passions. You don’t have to devote dozens of hours to this, perhaps start with 30-60 minutes a day.