Should you do what you love?
My dad said this phrase at least 100 times to me growing up:
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life" - my dad, Confucius, and probably 1000+ wannabe gurus
As a teenager... he would take me in nasty cobwebbed crawlspaces to cut out old hvac/boiler/plumbing systems and install new ones.
I'd go home covered in soot, grime, and some other liquids I wish I could forget.
Sure dad.
You love doing this right?
While I didn't like the "work" at all.... the money was pretty nice. I'd get a crisp $100 bill.... sometimes even $200 for working all day on a Saturday as a teenager... which felt like millions.
In high school, I was the friend that had the car. I was the friend that could pay for things. I was the friend that never complained about the small stuff because I knew what "hard work" was.
See.... the work itself.... really wasn't something I loved.
But over time, I kinda liked the rewards.
In my 20s, I decided to become the an EXPERT in heating and cooling design.
Still, I liked the work, didn't love it.... but the rewards kept getting better and better.
Not just financial rewards either.
It felt REALLY good when I could help someone design top of the line radiant, geothermal, or high efficiency gas system. My confidence began to grow.
Over the years, I continued to grow my skillsets, and had a larger and larger impact in my industry. Helping hundreds, then thousands.
See.... I think most people get confused from Confucius's quote.
Lets be honest with ourselves right now.
A. Do you actually love what you do?
or
B. Do you actually love THE IMPACT of what you do?
In the last week, I've been focused on writing the "Metrics" section of my upcoming book.
领英推荐
When we are considering the path of professional growth and development, it is CRUCIAL to identify that metrics that actually matter to you.
For a quick primer on Metrics.... check out my previous article titled "Your Metrics Suck."
Which brings me to the lesson of the day.
WHEN YOU FOCUS ON METRICS THAT MATTER TO YOU, YOU WILL LEARN TO LOVE WHAT YOU DO. - Dan Clapper
And when you love what you do (because of the impact), it won't feel like work anymore.
Two metrics that really matter to me personally are:
Once I have the right metrics, I now can be more excited and more engaged with my work. I can be excited to learn and grow my skillsets to improve those metrics. I wake up every morning ready to jump out of bed and do what I need to in order to get top tier results.
Do I love the work itself? kind of. would I do it if i didn't get the above metrics though? probably not.
This slight shift in how you frame your work (and your teams work) will drastically change your "Love" for what you do.
Here's some of other metrics I'm covering in my book:
And there are probably plenty more. For now, lets get into action.
ACTION TIME:
So much gratitude today for you taking the time to read through this newsletter. I personally love what I do because I know I can positively impact the people around me. We as leaders need to inspire growth and learning in the workplace, now more than ever. I promise to continue to provide fresh, actionable content... week after week... to help you do exactly that. I appreciate you subscribing, liking, commenting, and sharing this article with friends... but the truth is I get even more fired up when I hear about people taking action on these ideas!
Your Friend,
-Dan
I turn challenges into opportunities.
1 年I found that “chasing my passion” and “loving my work” often led to misalignment between what I was good at and what I could get paid to do. After a few frustrating years I realized I needed a craftsman mindset - practice and apprentice - and as I developed skill in a specific field, my love for the work grew and passion blossomed. For me, it’s that craftsman mental that trumps the passion mindset.
Vice President of Talent Development, Trades Holding LLC || Talent Development Enthusiast
1 年My refusal to settle for complacency is a testament to my commitment to personal and professional growth. It's truly amazing to have such a deep passion for helping others improve their lives and careers. Undoubtedly this strengthens my ability to guide others on their paths. The love of my job comes from this part… Even the smallest gestures of encouragement or support can create powerful ripples of change, empowering individuals to achieve new heights and discover opportunities they may not see until years into their future.?
GeoStar Geothermal Heat Pumps @ Mechanical Equipment Sales, Inc.
1 年I do love what I do. I also love the impact we have on providing the best equipment for the best outcome. Providing the opportunity for families to save money on their utilities with a geothermal system. Not just any Geothermal System, but the best, the one that will not break down, the one that will last 40 plus years, with instant reward on your reduced utility bills. Geothermal Systems is an investment in one of your largest investments, you HOME. The Federal Tax credit of 30%, no cap, will help pay for your wells and then some. What energy saver will do that. An instant return on your money every month with the reduce utilities. :) ??