I just went to go pick up the books for what will be my first Berlitz teaching gig! I’m not going to lie, since I completed the training I have been very excited about this opportunity. During the 3 day training I was able to meet people from all over the world and got to learn some Portuguese, French, Italian, and even Japanese! I think its wonderful that I will be able to teach people a new language, whether it be English or Spanish, and hope that I can make a difference in their lives…even if it’s just because their company is making them learn a new language. If you would ever like to invest in learning a new language (which I believe everyone should at some point) then I definitely suggest doing it through Berlitz, they’ve been around for 130 years so they must be good!
[Side Note: This is specifically for any Literature nerds that read this blog...James Joyce taught for Berlitz. Isn't that cool?!?!]
So in addition to my online writing hustle, I will now have a little extra income coming in (which is very nice given my blog post about budgeting) by doing some very satisfying work.
Finding Passion in Your Work
I know that a lot of people have difficulty with the concept of actually loving what you do, work is work after all and sometimes you have to hustle to make ends meet. However, it is possible to have a passion for your work. Take a look around Kiva.org for example (there will be another blog post about micro-loans soon), some of these guys are entrepreneurs in impoverished countries and they make it happen! Or, take Berlitz, an international company that was started because ONE guy had a passion for languages and wanted to help people learn.
People spend 25% to over 67% of their waking hours working, so wouldn’t it be nice to actually have PASSION for what you do? Unfortunately, far too many people get stuck at a job that they hate which leads to boredom, depression, and anything but productivity and growth.
As an avid opponent of cubicles, both for their lack of aesthetic value and the generally depressing atmosphere they produce, I did some research and compiled a list of tips to help you find passion in your work.
1. Avoid following a career path to please others or just because it makes money.
Not that I want to knock on doctors or lawyers, but how many people go to med school or law school just because they think it will make them money? Or, how many people start to teach just because they think its something to fall back on? Believe it or not, WORK IS A VOCATION. This is especially true when it comes to public service. The most influential doctors, lawyers, politicians, and teachers are the best simply because they love what they do and they worked their asses off for it. Besides, how do you plan on being great at your job if you don’t even really like what you do?
2. Find your true desires and priorities.
Everyone has something that they love, point blank. Maybe you love to paint, write, play music, take computers apart, make people laugh, garden, do home improvement projects, ect. Whatever it is, find it. Everyone also has their priorities: maybe family comes first, maybe volunteering is a priority, or maybe it’s getting out of debt.
Regardless of what your dreams and desires are, don’t suppress them and try cultivating them instead. A good way to begin is by starting out small. For example, you may set aside time on the weekend to paint. Or, you could start having family dinners more often.
3. Go after the position that best suits YOU.
This is actually just common sense. For example, if you hate math, you probably shouldn’t be an accountant. Everyone has special skills, interests, and talents that make them unique and suitable for different roles. Find yours and then go after the job that suits them.
4. Remember, no one ever said you couldn’t MAKE your own position.
Quite the opposite, actually. Every human being has the potential to be whatever they want. They also have several opportunities to make things happen, they just have to be open to them. Sure, making your own position is easier said than done (trust me on the one). It also takes a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and risks, but once you start having success the feeling is unlike anything you’ll get at that mediocre job you hate.
The bottom line is you will never forget the first dollar you made doing something you were passionate about.
So now it’s your turn. What are some of your interests, talents, and passions?
This has been a continual struggle for me. I am a passionate person, but my full-time job just drags me down all the time. I’m basically a secretary, something I’d never think I would be after getting my B.A. (Not that there is anything wrong with it! I just don’t like my work environment and my coworkers are mean and look down on me because of my young age.) I want to be a journalist and write for an online magazine. I had 2 internships at newspapers that I loved, but they weren’t hiring full-time workers. So, to keep myself from going completely insane, I started teaching dance part-time at a local studio. Dance has always been another one of my passions. Sharing that passion with young kids has been a great experience for me so far and it helps me feel like I have a purpose in life, even if my full-time job stinks. It’s hard to move to look for other jobs because I need this full-time one to pay my bills and loans.
That’s great that you teach dance part time! I read an article the other day about how people should always have more than once source of income and have multiple projects going on at once…that way they can set themselves up for eventually doing what they like. As for being a journalist, that is my ultimate dream as well
I’ll be sharing tips and ideas about how I started making some money writing online so definitely stay tuned for that.