I know money is important, but please do yourself a huge favor and do not choose a career or life path just because you think it’s going to make you a lot of money.  If you do that and you’re not really passionate or interested in what you have chosen, you’re going to feel like a slave to your paycheck for the rest of your life… or until you quit and again find yourself exactly where you are right now. 

Cultural Pressures

I think we as a culture are still in a period of intense change and it’s not clear how things are going to settle out.  So many people feel dissatisfied in their work; unfortunately, I think that’s the norm.  I think that a big part of the problem is that we have been taught that we have to do something that makes us money regardless of whether we like it or not.  “That’s what a job is, right?  We wouldn’t get paid for it if it was fun.”  Cultural beliefs like these influence us all.  I think the answer to the dilemma begins with recognizing that this feeling of dissatisfaction comes from an awakening of the desire for a life that fulfills more than our monetary needs. 

The Dissatisfaction Points the Way

When we feel pressure to choose a career because of its future prospects and marketability rather than our passion for the field, more often than not, we’ll find ourselves feeling unhappy and stifled as we spend a significant amount of our lives doing something we just don’t like.  These feelings are telling us that there is some part of us that wants to break free and find our way back to something that really feels fulfilling and satisfying to us.  Of course, along with that, there’s a lot of fear and anxiety that comes up about leaving the traditional career path behind.  That’s part of the hero’s journey of our lives.  It’s part of the challenge that we must all embrace if we are to move beyond the current cultural norms and really live a life that fulfills us.

Follow Your Heart

So I say, go ahead and listen to your heart right now and go for what you really want.  As you begin taking steps toward your goal, your feeling of aliveness and enthusiasm for life will return.  I absolutely believe that there are plenty of ways to prosper doing what you love.  In fact, if you are really passionate and excited about something, there is a much higher chance that you will become very prosperous doing it.  Why?  Because you are going to put a lot of positive energy and care into what you do and you will probably be happy to spend a lot of time doing it.  That all adds up to an experience where it is very likely that you will shine in your chosen field. 

One of the remnants of that former way of living that I mentioned earlier is that we don’t have much practice listening to the passion in our hearts, the still small voice that inspires us and guides us to do what is most fulfilling in our lives.  If you’re not sure what your heart is calling you to do, don’t worry, I can help.  In my next post, I will give you five simple questions that will help you discover what will truly fulfill you in your life.

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Let go of your fears.  Follow your heart.  Your Inspiring Life

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