Do You Have a Perfect Job?

There are tons of inspirational videos out there, and I happened to watch one of them recently.

The caption read, “This video will CHANGE your life.” 

Fortunately for me, it was about something I already knew.  I learned it from my family, and I hope I passed it along to my kids.

The narrator, a vocational guidance counselor, asks kids getting out of college what they would do if money were no object.  The idea is to do what you love, instead of being stuck in a job that makes you miserable.  According to the video, if you’re really good at what you do, eventually the money will come.  Would you rather make more money at a job you hate, or less money at a job you love?

I totally agree with that philosophy, though in my case I’m still waiting for the money part!  What I do believe is that you should follow your dreams.  If you’re not passionate about a job, why do it?  I know what you’re saying.  It always seems to come down to money.  Every one of us wants to be comfortable and not be stressed about it.  But if you’re totally stressed about your job, can you really relax and enjoy all that money you’re making anyway?  You hear the same story all the time about someone who works really hard at a stressful job, then has a heart attack as a result of working really hard.

I believe that everything in life is a trade-off.  You just have to decide what you’re willing to trade and what you’re not.  For me, it was always about doing what I enjoyed.  The trade-off was having to work more than one job.  And that can involve a lot of juggling and not always a lot of sleep.  And often people just don’t get it.  I was at work last weekend at a little restaurant, and a customer asked me when I get to relax.  I laughed and told him that working at a busy breakfast place on a Sunday morning is relaxing to me…because I enjoy it.  It’s hard to explain, unless you’re one of those people who actually likes what you do.  Hey, no one’s life is perfect, and there is no perfect job.

But if you’re passionate about your job(s) and you love what you do, then that’s pretty darn close.