Coach's Corner by Rick Wallace: Finding Passion In Your Work

Ask yourself: If you could do anything for 8 hours a day for the rest of your life, and money were no object, what would you do?

I've told audiences and clients this many times over the last 4 years. I found myself, even as an executive in a great company with great people and great products, burned out and doing the same thing every day. I may have spent 10% of my time doing something I had a passion for, something where I thought I was adding value, something that was fun.

I was in a position where I could let my boss know that and was replaced a few months later. Yes I could have gone and found another job like the one I had, and yes I fortunately had built up enough wealth to "do what I wanted to do" without worrying about the money.

However, it still took me time and a Coach (Steve Chandler) to decide what I really loved to do, what I had a passion for and then how to ensure that whatever new project I worked on going forward would allow me to spend 90-100% of my day doing something that I was passionate about. My WHY, my Core Purpose.

Mine? "Helping people exceed their expectations and reach their dreams." HOW? By learning, sharing the learning and creative problem solving. And where could I pursue those passions ----- Coaching.

I love it, I'm passionate about it, and think I bring value to it. (And yes, after 4 years I'm earning as much as I did before.)

I know you may be saying to yourself "well I cannot afford to quit and do what I love. You and all these other people (below) had money, little responsibility and could just pursue their passions and core purpose."

Sometimes that comes as a tradeoff for pay, but spending 1/2 your waking hours doing something you love is often well worth it. And I'm convinced that the people who are best at what they do tend to be the ones that love it the most.

Here's the rub. If I had stopped and really thought about my Why (my core purpose) and the things I loved to do (my How), I could have found a way to pursue them 70-80% of my time in my old job. I just did not "know", consciously think about, and do my How each day. I could have found ways to do the things I loved to do and helped my team and the company "exceed expectations and reach their dreams." I could have learned, shared the learning and solved problems creatively in that position. I could have coached, instead of managed.

You may be able to do that too. But first you need to understand, write it down and begin to pursue your Why and How.

I'm not saying anything loads of great thinkers haven't already said. But sometimes it's important to remind ourselves why we're doing what we're doing, what do we really love to do and to take inventory of our dreams.

Below are some great quotes about this subject. Most of these people started with little and pursued their Why - their Core Purpose- and their success was because of it. Not the other way around.

"Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Theodore Roosevelt

"Hard work is painful when life is devoid of purpose. But when you live for something greater than yourself and the gratification of your own ego, then hard work becomes a labor of love." - Steve Pavlina

"Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night." - Marian Wright Edelman

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming." - John R. Wooden