Doing what you love VS just paying the bills

[Deleted]

I've been reading some threads on mmoc and other forums for a while now with people asking about career advice or easy jobs to get some money. However, looking at the people around me I've always found that the most successful people are those who do what they love to do, no matter how low it starts at.

They are able to achieve the best in that field because of their love for it and then money follows (so many examples, you can't say is luck based).

I might sound ignorant or ill informed but all the people who ask about work on here, is it possible that they have nothing that they love ? I'm quite certain that everyone has something they can be really good at, but I just don't understand how people are content with minimum wage jobs , you can use it as a stepping stone but it should not be something that you do for life (unless you have special circumstances).

I can't imagine being able to just live life without any hobbies or interesting pass times. And in this day and age, it is certainly possible to cash in on anything and everything, given you are really into it and sincere with your efforts

What do you folks think ?

[Deleted]

You can work hard at a job you hate for good money and still have hobbies, they are not mutually exclusive.

[Deleted]

That is my point, doing a job you hate for good money vs doing your hobby with even better potential returns. Is it the risk that scares people or there is more to it !?

[Spectral]

I think "do what you love" when it comes to work is one of the dumbest fucking ideas that's been perpetuated and is one of the reasons that people are dissatisfied with what they do. Most people aren't going to like what they do for a living all that much - telling them that they should be loving every minute of it just gives them an unreasonable expectation.

[Midnax]

I myself chose to study and work as something that I loved (that's actually video games), against all advice everyone has given me. They would tell me I won't earn money off of it, I can't live off of it (which I know is not true) and to do something else instead like, say become a doctor. I had no support whatsover, but I decided to take matters into my own hands, nontheless.

Now a few years later I have to say I regret nothing. I love my studies, my job and I can see how much I am dedicating myself to them, especially compared to other people that went to school with me. They picked their job looking for something "that earns them money and a lot of it if possible". None of them are actually happy.

As for people not having anything they love;
I wouldn't say that. They may have things they love but maybe they don't know how they could earn money with it? Or maybe they don't think they'll be good enough to compare and that's stopping them? I know here people who are at school are horribly ill-informed about jobs and opportunities. We have advisors and everything, however, they tell every second person the same thing. They told me to go into economy when my strengths clearly were elsewhere.

For those tl:dr peeps;
It is possible to do something you love as a job. It may require more of an effort in the beginning due to lack of support from family (in my case), but in the end it will pay out, because "do something you love and you will never work a day in your life", which, so far, has proven completely true to me.

[Deleted]

Very few people get to do what they love. This is mostly because there are a ton of jobs that no one could love that require a lot of people doing them, and the jobs that you can feasibly love don't require everyone in the world doing them.

It's nice to be able to "do what you love" but many people feel like doing your hobby for a job can ruin that hobby. Also, there are a bunch of people who do what they love, but it's not something you can do as a hobby. For example, because it's close to hand: Very few people can be successful in recruitment unless recruitment is what they LOVE. But it's not something you can do as a hobby outside of work. The same also applies in reverse, there are a bunch of people whos hobbies could never be turned into a career. If your passion is playing videogames, that's not something you can turn into a career unless you enjoy programming or designing or storywriting etc also. I love videogames but would hate any of the jobs directly related to making them. That said, it is possible to upgrade an otherwise dull job into something a bit more fun if it's in an industry you love. For example, if your passion is games but you don't want to be directly involved with making them, you can always be a receptionist at a videogame developing company. Again, these jobs are few and far between though.

As rich says, doing a job you hate, or not knowing what you want to do, and so just wanting a job that you CAN do and that pays well doesn't mean you have no hobbies. There are also some people who just feel that no matter what job they do, it's always going to be a job and its purpose is to make you money so what you do is irrelevant since it's essentially "dead" time anyway, better to earn as much as you can out of that time so you can enjoy yourself however you want in your free time.

[Deleted]

That is my point, doing a job you hate for good money vs doing your hobby with even better potential returns. Is it the risk that scares people or there is more to it !?

What hobby are you talking about? Very few hobbies can lead to a great career.

[Darsithis]

I think "do what you love" when it comes to work is one of the dumbest fucking ideas that's been perpetuated and is one of the reasons that people are dissatisfied with what they do. Most people aren't going to like what they do for a living all that much - telling them that they should be loving every minute of it just gives them an unreasonable expectation.

So then that advice should be applied to no one?

I went after what I love to do: software engineering/development and I've been doing it since I was 16. Love it. That advice worked out for me, at least. It's working out for my partner, who is going back to school for accounting because it's what he loves to do.

[Spectral]

So then that advice should be applied to no one?

No, it should be applied conditionally, along the lines of, "if you can find a way to make a living doing something that you love, that's a really big plus". Applying it as a bit of universal prescriptive advice rather than a factor to consider sets people up for a massive disappointment.

I went after what I love to do: software engineering/development and I've been doing it since I was 16. Love it. That advice worked out for me, at least. It's working out for my partner, who is going back to school for accounting because it's what he loves to do.

It helps that you love doing things that are profitable, rather than hearing that advice with the tonedeafness that so many people seem to. Personally, I can't imagine that there's any line of work that I'd ever "love", but there's things that aren't so bad and allow me to go do things that I actually love.

[lordmatthias]

While I believe this is definitely true in some cases, it is not in all cases.

Yes ideally you are doing something you enjoy doing, you will find yourself more motivated and will likely do better if you enjoy what you are doing for work. That being said there are definitely some jobs/careers that just don't pay well, and at least for the foreseeable future will never pay well. Also, a lot of the time you can't go directly to the job you want because you need additional experience/skills in order to get the job in the first place. The other problem is that it can be difficult to impossible to survive doing the job you love at times.

For instance, I have a friend who is trying to make a living at being a professional gamer, streaming twitch, youtube etc.... Some people are able to make a career out of it, but it is VERY hard to get to the point where you are able to provide for yourself let alone a family.

What it really comes down to sometimes is what you need at the time (ie need to put food on the table for yourself/family) compared to what you are willing to put up with. It is a cold reality for some people when they realize that doing what they want will not allow them to live the lifestyle they want, or provide for the family they want.

The best option is to have lofty long term goals that you can work towards, tempered by realistic expectations. You have to start somewhere, and just because you start in one crappy job, if you are able to think a couple steps ahead you can leverage that job into a better job, and so on and so forth.

[Deleted]

I tend to agree with you slightly. Although success is an odd thing. I know plenty of people that love their job and are fantastic at it, they're all over in terms of success in earnings.

My parents both have jobs they have huge passion for and they are incredibly highly rated in their fields but one earns around twenty-times more than the other.

If you love something, there's a chance you're pretty good at it. If an employer sees someone that's good at their job and has a positive attitude, they're going to choose to promote them rather than the chap that's good at his job, but doesn't really give a shit, it's just a job. I definitely think there's a limit to where you can reach whilst not enjoying your work. I've never come across a company director that doesn't have a real passion for the work they do, whether it's logistics, art, finance or e-commerce. That isn't to say you can't earn very decent money whilst still not really enjoying your job, but I think there's a limit.

As for hobbies? Hobbies are important I think more so at entry level than anything else, simply to sell yourself to employers. They're also important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle which again, will influence your work. However, again I find it's all over the place. My parent that earns significantly more hasn't a single hobby. Work is life, whether she dislikes work sometimes or not, she loves her life.

[ro9ue]

People who don't do what they love are just crippled by fear. They play it safe in a good paying job they hate. As it turns out the more you do what you love, the better you get at it and the more people want some of it. It starts lower but there's no ceiling. A 9-5er will start slightly higher but barely get anywhere and be perpetually miserable. Generally speaking.

[Tastyfish]

I think finding a balance with what you want, material things, and what you want to do, your passion, is paramount.
You have to be willing to sometimes give up, that new Iphone or Ps4 if you really want to build installations for a festival.
There are a lot of ephemeral things that are given the highest importance, that suddenly matter more then going where you are happy.

[Deleted]

I actually really enjoy establishing systems of internal control so yay me! I get to enjoy what I do.

That does sound pretty interesting, actually.

Funny you say you're coming out of engineering into economics. I'm in economics and I feel like I'm on the verge of drifting over into engineering, from the start!

[Coombs]

No matter what job you choose to progress in there is one thing that will remain constant across all fields, and that is bureaucratic bullshit. Office politics, or hell even real politics, will be ever present and it will always cause a fucking headache. Realizing this I decided that I'll deal with bullshit no matter where I go as long as I make a fuck ton of money while doing so.

[Deleted]

No matter what job you choose to progress in there is one thing that will remain constant across all fields, and that is bureaucratic bullshit. Office politics, or hell even real politics, will be ever present and it will always cause a fucking headache. Realizing this I decided that I'll deal with bullshit no matter where I go as long as I make a fuck ton of money while doing so.

I think this is a pretty important point.

Although I'd add the politics doesn't always consume the entire job and make working forever horrible. It just gets irritating sometimes.

[Deleted]

People who don't do what they love are just crippled by fear. They play it safe in a good paying job they hate.

How exactly do you suggest I make a living out of doing what I love, when what I love is playing videogames and cuddling hotties. Became a pro gamer? Even if we're saying that's possible, what if you don't want the fame and stress of being a pro gamer? or the travelling? Make videogames? Making and designing stuff isn't what I love, playing things is.

[Deleted]

Bill's need to get paid regardless.

Just this week I had an interview for a position cold calling people to find out if they have had an accident and if they have made an insurance claim, you know the ones that you slam the phone down on, or scream at ? Personally I think that this is one of the worst jobs you can do, and not something I would base a career off. However I have bills to pay and so I am willing to do it.

I would love to build and customise PC's for a living, or even a little computer store selling hardware. Just is not possible at this moment in time, maybe in the future though.

[ro9ue]

but it is VERY hard to get to the point where you are able to provide for yourself let alone a family.

What it really comes down to sometimes is what you need at the time (ie need to put food on the table for yourself/family) compared to what you are willing to put up with. It is a cold reality for some people when they realize that doing what they want will not allow them to live the lifestyle they want, or provide for the family they want.

Totally true but I think too many people feel social pressure in getting married and having kids by a certain age. If you want to do something that is your true passion that requires you to live like a pauper for a while you need put the family and such on hold.

If you value family and owning a home more than being very good at your craft that's a sacrifice you decided to make. You can't expect to compete with people who sacrificed the family stuff to excel at their work.

No one likes the idea of living alone in a shitty apartment for a while until you get good enough at what you do to support a family. But the people who do it are the ones that make it.

[Shaani]

"do something you love and you will never work a day in your life", which, so far, has proven completely true to me.

I was going to post that, too. It's from Kong Fuzi, and I'd also say that's true; at least it was for me.

But in the end everyone has to decide this for themselves.

@ OP :

Some people like money (and what you can buy with it) more than anything else. To those, any well-paying job might do.
Then there are those who don't have an interest in wealth and "worldly" things anyway, so for them it's better to go for what they like to do.

Examples are artists of all kind.
Two of my friends are visual artists. They don't go to work but just paint. Their income from painting commissions is terribly low, and yet they both are two of the happiest people I know. They don't have cars, no big house, no shiny clothes nor any other luxury; they don't care for these kind of things.

I see the same thing with other people in my community. Many of them do low paying jobs (musicians or Taijiquan teacher for example) and yet they feel happy and would not be willing to give up that happiness for a high-income job they don't like.

But then again, this is a life that not everyone can follow. Different people have different needs, therefore no one can make this decision for you. Only you can.