Do what you Love or Love what you do?

Do what you loveWouldn’t it be great if we could all spend each day doing what we love?

As a coach my ideal outcome for all my clients is that they spend each day happy and doing what they love, that their lives be meaningful and full of joy. But the reality is, that is not up to me. My role is to help you decide what is right for you, your choices, your decisions. No bad ones, no good ones, no judgement.

But if we all spent our days doing what we loved, what would the world be like?

Would that put an end to pain and suffering?
To crime and anger?
If all of mankind were happy could we finally be at one?

Unfortunately we don’t have power over other people, their lives and their choices are not up to us. They only way we can affect other people’s lives is by focusing on our own.

Doing what you love

Some say it’s not possible, just a dream. Some say it takes hard work and perseverance. Others say why not? Doing what you love is probably easier than you think. It’s about being true to yourself, allowing the real you to come out to play.

Finding what I love

I never knew what I wanted to do, I was always confused, I wanted to work with people but it didn’t stimulate me enough, I wanted to work with technology but there weren’t enough people. I wanted to run a business but what business? So many possibilities what to choose?

At 33 after a traumatic Cesarian birth I started to write. I had spent the pregnancy preparing for a natural active birth. Minimum intervention; I had it written on my birth plan. A bit like the story of the titanic, a bigger force took over my plan and rewrote my lines. After the birth it didn’t get an easier, my newborn son cried incessantly for three months, the only time he stopped crying was at my breast. Those three months were spent sitting in an armchair, by the window with library books and a notebook and pen close at hand. I started to write and what started as a therapy became a passion, a lifestyle and a career.

Some experts say that doing what you love is the simplest route to a happy life. Martin Seligman the father of positive psychology says we must know our strengths and use them for the greater good. Following this route will make for a happy and meaningful life. If you are unsure of your strengths, keep searching, keep learning , exploring and trying things out. You persistence will lead to a happy and meaningful life.

In Gary Vayanchucks Ted Talk “Do what you love no excuses” He tells that the internet has made the forumula for success simplier than ever so there is no excuse for doing what you love.

In 2009 Vishen Lakhiani of Mind Valley’s spoke at Engage Today on “Why Happiness is the new Productivity”. In his talk he speaks about flow, the ultimate state of human existence. When we are happy, we are usually in a state of flow which is when stuff gets done most efficiently.

What about loving what you do?

But what of the people who have responsibilities, that don’t have the time to do what they love because they are busy supporting a family. What about the people who haven’t had as many opportunities, who lack money or education or talent?

If you can’t do what you love can you learn to love what you do? Just be happy right now with no need to change who you are or what you do? In this short clip from Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche reminds us that real happiness is within, the searching for happiness outside will not give us lasting happiness.

I believe we have three choices, there are three ways you can look at life and your current situation:

    1. You can continue to be unsatisfied with your current situation. Continue to work a job you don’t like, one you feel you need to do and give up your dreams for a “normal life”.
    2. Stay in the job you don’t enjoy to support your family or pay your bills but learn to Love what you do and feel proud that you do it. If you can’t do what you love, learn to love what you do. Be happy right now with who you are and what you do.

or

  1. Change your life, take time to think about what would ideally like in your life. Make a plan and go out and get it. Move in inspiring circles, seek out people who have done what you want to do. Get advice, get help and get going.

You may fail, but that is part of the programme, persist and life will change for the better. Essential to your success is one factor, if not present will surely be a cause for failure.

Believe

You have to believe that you can and will do it. You have to believe that anything is possible, that the universe is full of pure potentiality, that opportunities are endless and possibilities abundant. Without this belief you have nothing.

What to do?

Remember you can do anything if you set your mind to it, I believe for most people there are certain habits they need to adopt and others they need to give up to be truly happy. They have goals that need to be accomplished and things they need to achieve. But we can all create more happiness now by changing our thoughts and changing the way we look at life.

“Change your thoughts, change your life.” Wayne Dyer

We only get one life and your life is in your hands. You are the decision maker, you are in control. As a wise 12 year old boy once told me “Mom you don’t have to do anything, you do it because you want to….it’s your choice”

It’s your choice people so choose well and learn to love the present moment.

And remember if you need help getting organised for your success in 2013, sign up now for January’s Get Set for Success (7 weeks to a Happier more organised you) Starting January 14th for seven weeks

I would love to hear what you think? Do you do what you love or do you love what you do? Do you think it is possible for everyone to do what they love?

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Comments (6)

Because it is so hard, and perhaps counter-intuitive, this message is one that often gets lost or disbelieved. But it is a great one.

Coming to love what you do is so much harder than hoping some sort of change will bring happiness. But the types of strategies for coming to love what you do are great, because they tend to increase happiness whether you’re doing what you love or something you dread. It’s just so hard!

Hi Ciara,

how great to have the advice of a wise 12 year old on tap!

Your point about belief was another piece of valuable wisdom. So necessary to work at that.

Coming to love what you do can be difficult, but it’s such great advice.

I’ve worked at some horrible jobs in my time; at a few I learned to love at least some aspect of what I was doing, at others I just worked away feeling resentful. I had more ‘good’ days at the former.

Now I’m grateful for a lot of things I learned at my least favorite jobs, those skills are great resources for me as I work towards building a career doing the kind of work I love to do.

That’s true Amit, any attempt at learning to love what you do will likely lead to greater acceptance and peace but I wonder can this acceptance contribute to overall happiness.

Heh Dave, that wise twelve year old has since turned into a disinterested sixteen year old but still a great kid.
You make a good point, so many experiences in hindsight have enriched us for some reason or other but the decision to be true to your purpose and to use your strengths should surely come some time? This is the difficult part knowing when to say enough is enough.

There is some vital truth here Ciara, and we don’t see enough of this out here in cyberspace. Our own perspective on whatever it is we are doing makes all the difference. And if a person is able to find some love for what they do, for where they are right NOW, they will be in a much more empowered space to move toward something they might love even more. And, if they’ve learned to love the now, they are much more likely to truly enjoy and love where they end up.

Interesting Sarah, so learning to love the now maybe a logical stepping stone to finding what you truly love. I hadn’t thought of it in that way but it makes sense that happiness would become more abundant if we follow this path.

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