In a lovely post from Patrick Rhone he comments

If I were to paid to dig ditches, I would discover that the ditch is for a water line to a new house that means someone gets clean water, once I think it through, I can find my passion in the ditch digging.

It made me look back at my career and the various jobs I’ve had. The ones that have been most rewarding are the ones which have a greater purpose. As a freelance designer it was for clients whose focus was not about increasing the bank account. In my current job it is for a large charity aiming to help people find their next steps in higher education.

When I worked as a barista the most rewarding time was when I was teaching others how to make great coffee. When I realised it was giving them a skill they can take anywhere in the world it was fantastic. I remember receiving a confused look from one 20 year old who wanted to travel but was unsure about earning money that she didn’t need to worry. She hadn’t realised now she could make a good coffee she could find a job in any country in the world. It was great to see how enabling that skill would be for her.

I’ve disliked the advice of turning your passion into a career for a long time and Patrick’s post reminded me why. If we can find passion in our existing careers work becomes much more fulfilling. It’s ok to have a hobby we are passionate about without trying to turn it into our day job.