“I am passionate about…”
I hear this a great deal from my career counseling clients as they walk into Career Counseling Connecticut’s offices.
I am passionate about my work. I made the radical switch from big city attorney in Washington, DC to education-entrepreneur in small town Connecticut. My idealistic nature is in sync with those who are striving to love their work. It can happen.
I love my work. I know many others who love their work.
But we figured out how to have our passions met by the marketplace or were simply lucky enough to have our passions met by the marketplace.
We are in a capitalist system that is immune to sentiment. You love painting; singing; dancing; playing tennis; whatever. Let’s say you are generally considered very good at your passion. You play guitar better than anyone you know. People tell you that you are great. You can’t make a living unless people pay you. That’s the marketplace.
Given the craziness of Covid, many clients better understand that a work life that is passion-less is no way to live. I suppose the largest part of my career counseling work in recent months has been helping idealists figure out how (or if) they can make a living doing what they love to do.
I do this not by developing their passion but by helping them figure out how to navigate the marketplace.