Do What You Love…Or Else

Do what you love. It’s what we all want to do. But what if you aren’t doing what you love? What can you do then?

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Last time, we exposed Hollywood’s dirty little secret. In order to do what you love, you may have to do something (or somethings) you don’t love.

It was inspired by a news story about Geoffrey Owens, the Cosby Show actor who played Elvin – the husband of the family’s oldest daughter. He was spotted bagging groceries at Trader Joe’s. The good news: He got a gig on Tyler Perry’s TV show, getting to do what he loves.

We continued that conversation on The BIGG Success Show today. We discussed what to do if you aren’t doing what you love. Here’s a summary of that discussion.

How can you do what you love? What if you can’t do what you love? Are you stuck where you’re at? Let’s consider 3 scenarios.

Do what you love

This first scenario is the ideal. Who doesn’t want to love what they do? If you can do what you love, you won’t ever feel the need to count the days to retirement.

While everyone wants to do what they love, few experience its joys.

For example, there may not be a market BIGG enough to support it. Or maybe the market is facing disruption. It could be the market is in a slump due to the economy.

Love what you do

Our second scenario reminds us the song by Stephen Stills, Love the One You’re With, and its main line – if you can’t love the one you want, love the one you’re with.

The career version is: If you can’t do what you love, love what you do.

This has to do with connection. For example, your mission fits the mission of your employer. Or you love the customers you get to serve.

BUT, if all else fails, then…

Love why you do what you do

The third scenario is the fallback strategy. Your horizon for this scenario may be now and later or now, not later.

We talked earlier about how even a dead-end job can be a springboard to BIGG success.

For example, what you do may give you time and/or money to do what you love.

This is all about linkage. Your current occupation isn’t as high a priority in this case. You either want to move on or sort of maintain the status quo so you can do what you love in your spare time.

Don’t just think either/or

We feel the need to explicitly state this point, because it’s so important. Don’t feel like you have to pick one scenario.

You may operate in more than one scenario at a time. Or you may operate in one scenario now and another one later.

For example, you may love what you do while simultaneously doing what you love. Either scenario may be your primary means of support.

You may love why you do what you do because it is allowing you to prepare to do what you love. For instance, you may have a hobby which gives you greater satisfaction than any profession ever could.

You earn enough from your job to fund your hobby. It also isn’t so demanding that you have no free time. In other words, what you do yields both the time and money to pursue your passion.

The key here is to know which scenario or scenarios you are operating in, so you can determine your best next steps. It leads to BIGG success!