How do you find a job you enjoy? I don’t know.
(I was about to end the post there, because I don’t have the answer. But I’ll elaborate for the curious.)
All jobs are tough. It’s work. As humans we’re called to put forth effort during the day, to be productive members of society. To make a living and put a roof over our heads.
We can’t just do nothing. Even doing “nothing” has its drawbacks.
Have you ever had a long vacation, or sat at home watching TV for a week? Sure, at first it’s fun, but then after a while it sucks big time – it ends up being worse than the job you left.
Being idle is frustrating. Not working is pointless.
Job You Enjoy – Choose
So, if you understand you’ll have to work for the rest of your life, it seems prudent to choose something you enjoy. That seems logical.
You definitely should pursue your dreams and find something you like. That’s what life is about. The pursuit of finding what drives you.
But it’s important you understand there’s no “perfect” job.
Sure, there are jobs that will check off a lot of boxes and feel close to what you’re looking for. But you’ll never find a 100% amazing job that makes you high on life. That feels fake – like you’ve watched too many Hollywood movies.
You’re chasing a lie.
Yes, go ahead and experiment with some jobs. That’s perfectly acceptable behavior. Even bouncing around quickly is perfectly fine. No one really cares if you’re chasing something you’re passionate about.
But be realistic about what you’re after.
Job You Enjoy – Writing
Many years ago when I began my writing career, I imagined what it would be like if I were famous. I like to think of Stephen King, because his writing habits inspire me. I imagined how he would get up in the morning and write a ton of pages, then in the afternoon he would edit or read.
That’s not an easy job. That would be torture for lots of people.
But for me it was great.
As I wrote more and more, and my writing muscles got stronger, I began to understand how a professional writer’s day would flow. It was a ton of work, but it was work I was willing to do, and work I felt called to do.
And that’s not to say it was easy. None of it was easy. Hitting word count goals, editing all day, and reading all night isn’t simple. It takes a lot of practice and discipline. It takes work.
Job You Enjoy – Success
If you’re about to chase a new dream or change careers, find a person who is already successful at it. If you’re going into real estate, find a successful realtor. Or if you want to be a pastor, find a successful pastor.
If you were to pursue your new path to the fullest, you will end up exactly like that person. There is no changing that.
So the question is, would you be willing to do the same work?
If your answer is “heck no” – you need to bail, now.
But if your answer is “yes” – then you’ll have thoughtfully considered what it will feel like to work hard all day and be exhausted at the end.
Even for me, writing is hard. Staring at a blank page every morning and committing to the discipline isn’t easy. None of this is a walk in the park.
But I love it.
When I’m exhausted, wanting to quit, and the trials come – I always find I can get back to work, doing something I enjoy.
And that’s sort of what you need to pursue – is a job that you can still do, probably better than most people, even on your worst day. Because it’s what you’re meant to do.
Job You Enjoy – Action Steps:
- All jobs are hard, nothing is easy
- Imagine being famous, could you handle the workload?
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Could you work as hard as someone famous? Could you deal with the same level of stress?
