Is passion a must in your career?

Kyla?is "passionate about cheese-rolling."?

At least so says this?recent BBC article?about the annual contest in Brockworth in which hundreds of competitors chase a 7kg Double Gloucester down a near vertical hill ??.

Uh huh. It's as bonkers as it sounds.

And it just goes to show that passion is a weird old thing.??

You can be passionate about football, or dogs or fashion. Passionate about politics or sustainability. Passionate about chocolate, doughnuts (so sue me) and yes, cheese-rolling.?

But?where does that leave you professionally when you're told to “Follow Your Passion”?!

It’s meant as a liberating call to tap into the thing that brings you alive and get paid to do it.

Which sounds marvellous.

But just because you love cooking, does it mean you should retrain as a pastry chef?

Should an interest in politics have you knocking on doors asking old ladies if you can count on their vote??

Maybe. Maybe not.?

And what if - god forbid - you don't have a "thing"??Are you destined for an unfulfilling career?

Or what if your passion can't easily be turned into a job that pays?

All great questions.?

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So today I'm sharing 4 ways?to help you figure out where you want passion to fit?into?your?relationship with work.

???Passion is one part of a bigger puzzle

Set aside the fridge magnets that insist?"Find your passion and it's no longer work!"

Consider how important it feels to you?personally?to connect your professional identity to a topic, cause or pastime that floats your boat.??

For some of us?those things feel crucial to career happiness, for others less so.?

Because satisfying work has been shown to involve many things:

?? playing to your strengths and using the skills you enjoy

???meeting your values (which can range anywhere from fun and adventure to purpose, growth and recognition)

?? fitting around your practical needs regarding family, location, salary and hours??

How highly does passion feature on your wishlist?

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???Passion isn't always what it appears

Let’s suppose you’re passionately involved in your local hockey club.

Should you get a qualification as a sports coach? Remortgage your house and open a gym?

Not necessarily.

What's?that interest?actually?telling you about yourself? Is it rooted in fitness and well-being? Or more about the love of the team dynamic? Perhaps the leadership involved in pulling together a bunch of people? The satisfaction of planning and delivering a training programme??

Your interests can guide you in many ways – about the kind of place you work, the skills you use or the clients you serve, just as much as directing you to a radical stand-alone passion project.?

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???Passion needs testing

One or two of your?interests may really grab you and make you wonder if you could take something you love and make it pay.

If so, quit merely fantasising and start properly investigating:?

?? How many ways can you think of to monetise your hobby?

?? What organisations, roles or business ideas relate to your passions??

?? Who could you talk to who knows more than you do?

?? What small project can you devise to test your idea rather than merely daydream?

???Passion can be nurtured in many ways

Who says your delight in wild camping needs to be channelled into a career move?

Turning a fun activity into a profession could be epic or it could demand tasks and skills you don’t enjoy at all.?

The exploration above should help you work that out.?

And if you decide your interests are going to remain firmly in the hobby zone as a source of fun?and relaxation, there’s no shame in that.

So ask instead - how can I?create more space in my free?time to nurture?any hobbies or interests that bring me?joy??

How can I find more balance in my life?

So, are you a passionate person?

I'd love to know. And if cheese-rolling floats your boat, there's always next year's contest.?

Don't worry. Only one person went to hospital this year.?

Stay curious,?

Rachel

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PS. Thanks to all of you who recommended "Colin from Accounts". It's genius.?

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Have you taken a look at my book? If you find my newsletter full of useful nuggets, you really need to check out the full monty.

"The Career Change Guide: Five Steps to Finding Your Dream Career"?is a steal at ￡14.85 on Amazon and is packed full of exercises, tools, strategies and case studies to help you figure out the work you want and how to get there.?

Here's a lovely message I got from a reader:

"Hi Rachel, I just wanted to reach out to say how much I’m enjoying your book - it could have been written for where I’m at right now! It's helping me make sense of it all and?I’m already recommending it to friends/contacts - life changer!"

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