What’s the best advice for choosing a rewarding career or even a good part-time job?
And what’s the most important attribute for the work you want to do?
The quick answers are: “Do something you love” or “Follow your passion.”
But a lot has been written recently saying that’s just plain wrong!
Just do what you love is terrible career advice.”
— Brian Fetherstonhaugh, CEO of OgilvyOne, LLC
Brian believes your career sweet spot is the intersection of three things:
- What you love,
- What you’re really good at, and
- What the world values.
Getting all three of those things to happen is tough work in itself and can take quite a long time. That’s why “just do what you love” is not a quick answer. (You can read Brian’s article here).
Setting out to find work you love is an unrealistically high standard to pursue…
…at least right away. And some work can be very hard, if not impossible to love. But it can still be good work by many reasonable standards. Like true love, it doesn’t happen at will.
Following your passion is great if you’re fortunate enough to know what that passion is. But for most of us, we may not have discovered it or cultivated it enough to know.
Passion has a dark side too.
It can potentially become too powerful, causing people to do things that they might not otherwise be willing to do.
So, what’s the answer?
What if we pursued work we can be friends with? Yes, that’s right… pursue a career you can make friends with while you’re on the journey to finding your true passion and the work you love.
Think back to a time in school when you met a new friend… someone who became a really close and reliable confrere.
You start out liking each other and share some foundational common interests. You enjoy spending time together. You like to hang out. You’re a good fit for each other.
A framework quickly develops for building your friendship.
Fit matters with work just like it does with friends. And that’s where you start…
Let’s unpack this some more. What constitutes work you can be friends with?
Take a closer look at what friends might do, and not do, as it relates to a work setting.
They…
- Share a degree of commitment
- Have your back and provide support
- Celebrate your victories
- Help you be your best
- Are honest with you when you need feedback
- Trust you and give you the benefit of the doubt
- Are fun to be around
You…
- Help them solve problems
- Give them your best
- Show dignity and respect for each other
- Share loyalty and dependability
- Enable each other’s success
And friends don’t…
- Ask you to compromise your ethics or do something they wouldn’t do themselves
- Expect more from each other than they’re willing to give
- Keep you away from other friends and family
- Or get in the way of other parts of your life
So, what do you while on your journey to discover your passion and find work you love?
Go for work you can be friends with now.
You can go for work you can be friends with at any stage of life or your career. And it will always serve you well while you’re on that journey to find your sweet spot.
What do you think? Sound like a plan?
Be untucked.
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Copyright © 2019 Jeff Meister
Jeff this is just wonderful advice. I have a number of students at my riding school that are graduating this spring…some from high school and some from university. I’m going to share this on my website, especially for them. Thanks!
Thanks Pat! That’s wonderful… I’m so glad you liked it. I’m honored that you’re sharing it with your students.