finding work you really love

 Things You Need to Know About Finding the Work You Love

One of the keys to happiness — as well as productivity and effectiveness at work — is finding work you love, that you’re passionate about. Work you want to do, instead of just have to do. If you really want to do it, it barely seems like work at all. You can find that work, but it’ll take some effort. Here’s what you need to know about finding the work you love:

It won’t find you — you have to seek it. Doing the same old thing everyday isn’t the way to find the work you love. Sometimes, you get extremely lucky and it just lands in your lap. Most people, however, aren’t that lucky — you’ve got to take action, and you’ve got to seek it. Never settle. If you find something that’s just a bit better than your current job, that’s better … but don’t stop there. Keep looking.

Don’t give up the search.You’ll have to look in lots of funny places. Really explore. Try new hobbies. Talk to new people. Read articles on different blogs, in different magazines and books. Inspiration might come from someplace you never imagined.

Break out of your routine, and dare to ask. You’ve got to stop what you’re doing and be bold enough to ask yourself if you love what you’re doing. And if you don’t, then what is it you really love? Spend time thinking about it. It’s good to take an hour or two to really think about the question. Really think about what you love, about your life, about what you want to be doing. What are your dreams? Is there something you’ve always wanted to accomplish in life? Almost everybody has some dream like that, sometime in their lives, but often they don’t think it’s realistic.

What are you good at? What are your strengths? Do you have any talents? Once you find something interesting, pursue it. Read about it. Learn, and try it, and do it, and get better at it. Don’t be afraid to pursue it — fear is what stops most people from finding their happiness. You might be able to pursue it within your current job, or do it as a side job or just as a hobby at first. Write to people who are doing it to find out how they got started. Check out a few books on the library and do some research online to find out about the first steps you need to take — and then take them! Pursue your dreams!

 If you find the work you love, you’ve been given a gift. Don’t spoil it — truly pour yourself into that work. That doesn’t mean you should ignore the other loves in your life, including family and friends, but when you’re working, you should devote yourself completely to that work.

“Getting up in the morning and having work you love is what makes life different for people. And if you get into a position where you really don’t love what you’re doing, get off it. It’s easy to be on someone else’s track or something that sounds like a safety play.” -Bob Woodward