Doing what you love (vs) loving what you do

I recently saw a post on Facebook about a friend getting an offer for a work-from-home copyrighter kind of assignment. She doesn't have any professional training as a writer; she's certainly very active on Facebook, writes a blog occasionally, and does have a flair for the written word. But I like to think that's something I have too!

A few months ago, I would've gone into a bit of a spiral about how to find myself in such a dream situation. But last year I came across this book called "So Good They Can't Ignore You". Such an interesting perspective it provided me with. The book highlights that our generation is faced with this constant bombardment of the idea of 'chasing your dream'. While it sounds great in theory, and we all hear stories about how this one quit as a banker and became a successful photographer, or how that one left her 9-to-5 to became a yoga instructor. But the truth is that people can not make a living out of a hobby or vocation with that much ease. For all the success stories you hear, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of failures. The author espouses that instead of having a vague (though inspirational sounding) aim of just 'doing what you love', one should aspire to 'be so good at what you love' that they simply can't ignore you. Basically, build a skill set that is valuable, and that people will be willing to pay for. So for e.g., if you want to be a creative writer, or a content creator, don't just quit your day job and aim to charge people to read your Facebook posts. Good intention, wrong execution. One needs to hone and develop skills over time, and the more the effort you put in at this stage, the more the rewards you're likely to enjoy eventually. Your hobby is unlikely to turn into a job for you just like that. In fact, the odds are that it never will. 

So with this profound (yet simple) philosophy I've now stopped day-dreaming about becoming the next big Indian author, or having my own millionaire-creating e-commerce venture, or being a world famous pottery artist. Instead I focus on enjoying my side-hobbies for what they are, and continue with my day job as a 'job'. Because that involves actually using skills that I've acquired and honed over so many years of hard work! And also well, you gotta have money in the bank. 

But then I come across things like what happened with my friend above, and it again makes me wonder just a little bit - what if? Or why not me? This post is just to remind myself that may be, just may be, it can be me. Some day. Not today though. I still need to work on being 'so good...'