Does your job match your passion?

This is a question that Seth Godin asks in his book, Linchpin. This is a book about what it takes to be indispensable in the workplace. I have been reading it for quite some time now because I can only handle it in spurts. It offers so much to think about and areas to improve upon.

One area that I have wrestled with for so long is this whole concept of work. For me work should not just be a place where you go, figure out how to pass the time, collect a check, and then leave. It should be invigorating - part of a larger purpose. I have always assumed that the only way to make this happen is to find the right job. In my case, I have always wanted to teach. Teaching is the only way that I believed that I could pursue my passion of making a difference - of positively impacting people and creating connections. (Note to self: part of the problem is this idea of passion is too broad. Hone it down into something manageable.) Yet, despite two opportunities to focus more heavily on teaching - the journey has continued to wind through the business world. You might argue that not taking the plunge into teaching is due to fear or something of that nature. However, I can honestly say that it is not out of fear - it just hasn't been the right thing to do.

Godin points out that most people think that we have to find the job that matches the passion. (I would argue that a lot of people just settle and become cogs without even thinking about it.) However, he offers a great reversal by suggesting, "Transferring your passion to your job is far easier than find a job that happens to match your passion."

And so the the challenge begins...