Integrating work and passion is challenging and there is no prescription formula for how to make this function. What we know for sure however, is that embracing change and exploration is a key tenet to leading a meaningful life. Focusing too much on any one area (such as work) can gray out other sources of joy, and on the other hand eschewing work can also create resistance and friction in your work. If left unattended, this see-saw effect can spiral out of control and cause us to have severe doubts. Questioning the status quo can lead to growth, but it can also be distracting from the root issues. What we’ve found to be helpful in staying focused and making progress is to allow space for passions as a compliment to and combination with our jobs.
For Isabelle, ethical values such as female empowerment and cruelty free consumerism inspire her motivation in both her workplace and her passions. Working at a tech startup may not seem like an obvious way to integrate these pillars into her life, but Isabelle prioritizes her values and makes sure that they come through in her job and extracurricular pursuits. Isabelle puts her heart and soul into helping her company grow and succeed, but she also allows space to educate others on healthy food choices and supports animal awareness missions.
For Noah, a career defined his character of the past. But struggling through a lack of fulfillment paved the way forward to open space and align his values and passions. Noah learned that passion doesn’t have to be a unicorn-like intangible, but rather can be found in daily mindfulness. Having structure around personal goals such as athletic endeavors weaves into being a more complete person, and encourages focus and positive energy in his workplace.
The first step toward fostering growth in work and passions is to allow yourself to embrace what it is that provides fulfillment to your core. Is it creativity, athletics, socializing, philanthropy, academia, something else? Setting goals around those endeavors ensures that you will incorporate them alongside our work priorities. Instead of thinking of passion and work as separate buckets, shift the mindset and think of them as a single highway with several lanes running parallel alongside one another – you’re the driver, and you choose how to shift into different lanes and sometimes driving in two lanes at once has unexpected positive results. As long as you are driving onward though, you’ll be making progress both personally and professionally and feeling like you’re in control of your destiny.
The amazing PS Kitchen
Other episodes you might enjoy: TPP 018 our interview with April Tam Smith (founder of PS-Kitchen) and TPP 017 where we reflect on setting and reaching goals.
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