At a point in time, an individual wishes to define his/her career and subsequently the future. This might be fascinating for some and disgusting for several others. By now, a handful of you would have started to build up thoughts around keeping yourselves into the picture. The big question here is that you do what you love or you love what you already do?
There are various factors that fuel this argument. Let’s try and break them down.
- The World
It’s no secret that we live in a competitive world. The order of the day is to do better than the others. At most instances, the pressure drives us to follow the herd, or as they say “Go with the flow”. For most of us, we define ourselves to the world’s perception and not ours. There was a time when being an Engineer or a Doctor was the only thing. Today being an IT professional is again pretty hyped about. Few years down the line this would change too. This is because the world defines them as the ultimate suit and places them on a pedestal for everyone to see and opt. There is nothing bad thing in being in any of these suits when you are making a living out of it. But is that all to it?
- Unacceptable Choices
Being an Engineer or a Doctor is acceptable for the world, to be more specific the family, as they have been defined as a great jobs. However, choosing photography, music or media is still a hobby for many wannabe photographers, musicians and journalists who are wearing an alternate suit, that of a white collar physician or a software engineer. They would probably excel in these fields and do well for themselves, but they would have to settle for one of the more acceptable choices, the one at which the world doesn’t frown upon. The road that these off the line choices take are often considered as risky or worse, “Useless”. Again, is that all to it?
- Circumstances
The most definitive of reasons are the ones nobody has control upon. Few might be really lucky to have green pastures in their backyard, nothing to worry about, be it financial status, family dependencies, other responsibilities. These might look insignificant, but come to think about it and you’ll find they are not. The circumstances would certainly affect a decision. It’s always considered wise to do the most feasible thing at a time, compromise and stop dreaming aloud. Again I shall ask, is there more to it?
- Defining Decision
No matter how much we deny, this will be the major decision we will make for ourselves. One may argue saying – “What are you talking about? I have made all my decisions my entire life.” Well, deciding a university you would want to study, or a course one would want to study, or the choice of a country one would want to study in - are not exactly the defining decisions one would make. What all can school dropout can do? - It is this very answer to this question that is the defining decision.
Penelope Trunk, a career advisor quotes – “One of the worst pieces of career advice that I bet each of you has not only gotten but given is to "do what you love” and we have selfcreation.com saying the exact opposite.
We also have Katherine Hepburn, a famous 90’s actress’ mother who quotes - “If you always do what interests you, then at least one person is pleased.”
Having said all this, did you find the answer for yourself? If you have, I shall count one more person to be pleased, if not, there is certainly more to it!
A lot of people have found themselves doing what they love while others are vying to get to it. It’s a food for thought!
