Cheers to my fellow bloggers. I come to you today to ask for your vote.
Topic on hand:
Should I follow my passion, or be responsible?
Background:
I want to follow my passion of being an author. Right now I have a great job; I love what I do, who I do it for, and who I do it with. I don’t want to take my current situation granted, but I also don’t want to wait to start working towards my true passion. Life just gets more and more hectic as you get older. I fear if I don’t start now I’ll never have the same opportunity as I do now to grow and make it my career.
Any advice? Has anyone found themselves at a similar crossroad in their life?
Poems & Prose 
Life is short. Do what makes you most happy. You may not get another chance.
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Even if that means taking a huge risk?
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Absolutely. The risky areas is where life happens. Everything else is just existing.
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I like that. Fear setting has helped me deliberate between other choices I’ve had to make in my life. It’s definitely worth dedicating some time towards again at this point for me.
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“No Regrets” applies here also.
Which choice will enable you to look back two years from now …. with No Regrets?🧡🌼🧡🌼🧡
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Definitely the riskier option! Although it may not pay off in 2 years, it will be something I regret not doing and starting earlier when I’m older…
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You can’t do both?
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I wish it were that easy! Maybe it is? I’m torn. It’s hard to dedicate 100% of myself when I have many different components of my life pulling me in different directions. I feel as if I need to fully dive into my writing, when it’s sink or swim, to really put all I have into it. It seems a bit rash but that’s what works best for me.
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First, I absolutely agree with those who are saying that you need to take the risk. I quit a well-paying job to pursue life outside of work. I had too long defined myself by my career which is only part of life.
If you need help making the leap, try writing out the absolute worst-case scenario if you quit, pursue your passion, and it doesn’t work. Rank that scenario on a scale of 1 to 10. Then write out what you could do if that worst-case happened. The worst-case is likely not as bad as you think, and there will be answers to how you can come back from it.
As to doing both, I offer this idea. Most of what I have read about successful writers is they have a habit that is usually 4 hours per day and typically in the morning when they are fresh. 4 hours is also widely deemed to be the longest any individual can focus on a specific task, and it is the longest that we are at peak productivity within any 24-hour period.
If you dedicate 4 hours per day to your passion, that likely leaves time for other pursuits. Is your current career something that you can freelance? If so, pick the one type of work you are best and enjoy and do it. (I say pick one because niching down is good advice for entrepreneurs.)
If you choose the freelance route, I would try to keep it at 10 hours per week or less. That should free up time for you to think, recharge, and reflect on your passion.
Let me know if you have any questions and I wish you the best of luck no matter what you decide to pursue!
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Hi Matt, thanks for your advice here. May I ask what sort of freelancing you do, and what was the deciding factor that led you to quit your well paying job? I feel as if I’m in a similar boat, but it’s not something I can freelance. Unless I quit and just did freelance jobs on Upwork and other similar websites. I also try to write about 1-2 hours every day, and on most days 2-4 hours at night, which is when I am the most creative. There’s been studies that show you’re more creative when you’re a little tired. Thanks again for your insight here!
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E.L. Jayne – I do not freelance. I was merely stating that could be an option. I am working on two paths to income: buying into a franchise & using my knowledge & experience to create a leadership ecourse. The goal with both is to eventually get to quasi-passive income (< 10hrs/wk on each) and locational freedom.
I had considered leaving my company for a few years. Ultimately, it was a combination of things. The primary catalyst was that I was in a long distance relationship and she couldn't be in Cali (where I was). But it wasn't only that, as I had thought about leaving for a few years. My next promotion on the current career path was going to make me move somewhere I didn't want to. And finally, I felt that I would be happier taking some time to better align my personal and career goals.
Interesting! That sounds familiar, so I must have read something similar on people being more creative when tired. Thanks for the reminder!
Best of luck!
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I wonder if the passion shifts when you make the dream, the job ? Maybe doing both is exactly what you’re meant to do. For me, I find myself more creative when I am fully engaged with my life. Sometimes we have to live into our stories in much the same way we live into the answers to these big questions.
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A few years ago I knew I wanted to balance work and my passion first. One of the reasons I didn’t want to become a nomadic author right away was to be able to understand the ‘real world’ first. To live it so I could write about it. Now I am feeling a calling to live my passion now and make it career before it’s too late…
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First….. some advice I considered valuable as a working Mom – “You CAN Have It All – you just can’t have it All At The Same Time.” Perhaps you have now completed the Corporate Chapter, and now it’s time to transition to the Author Chapter.
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And …. to clarify…. I am still a working Mom. It looks different now 🌻🌻
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That’s a great quote, and seems very realistic too. It is possible to follow your dreams while balancing everything else, but it’s an ebb and flow, an integration…. thanks for sharing this quote with me again!
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Second …. “It’s Never too late.” This is advice I’ve most recently tried to follow as suggested by Mel Robbins. I personally am having a hard time with this advice myself.
If it doesn’t feel like the right time to make a shift, you will find the time when it does feel right. And at that point, it won’t be Too Late .
🧡🧡🧡
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Another great quote, it really never is too late….
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This is a difficult Life Question, My Dear!! The best advice I can offer is this quote, “Life Is To Short To Be Anything But Happy!” and another one I love that is something you should put on a post-it note on your bathroom mirror – “What Have You Done Today To Make Your Dreams Come True?” Repeat that over and over at the start of each day and things may become clearer.
One needs to live in the real world and to have the means to survive in a way that makes you happy. No one ever says at the end of their life – I wish I’d spent more time at the office working. But one does have to pay the bills. J.K. Rowlings and Van Gough are good examples of following your hear and never giving up in the face of rejection and defeat.
If possible I would counsel you to “try” and see if it is possible to get your “Day Job”, like musicians do, and write and create in every other spare minute you can find. I think you already know the answer to this question – “What would you do with your life if money were no object?” So, try and keep your day job, if possible, save like crazy and use every spare moment of the rest of your time to write. Maybe your job gives you some “wait time” that you can use to write? Write on your breaks, lunch and commute time (they have audio recording apps for cell phones). I write Elfchens – eleven word poems when waiting at a stoplight, or when on hold on the phone – or maybe you can write one or two while in a meeting and it will look like you are taking notes? Ha! I write them when I have a hard time falling asleep and then record it on my phone and conk out.
Let me know if you have an interest in Elfchens and I will point you in the right direction.
I also noticed that you mentioned that you have/might have an interest in collaborating? I have had some really great experiences collaborating and would be happy to share some examples with you if you think you might have an interest in it. I have found them to be fun, magical and delivering some great results – IMO! Ha.
I hope this is helpful for you??
Have a great day, My Dear!!
Chuck
😊💖🌹🌹
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Hi Chuck, thank you so much for your insights here and sharing my request for advice on your page. As you might’ve seen I’ve gotten some great ideas above, including yours! I love the quote you shared that life is too short to be anything but happy. If money were no object i know 100% what I’d be doing, spending my days writing in a cottage in the middle of nowhere.
But, I do need money to live. Alas, I will keep my job. That is why I’m interested in becoming an Editor, it would be so fulfilling to help people achieve their dream of becoming a writer, and I truly love the revision process.
I try to be very intentional with my days… Whether it’s setting aside time to write or reading work from authors whom inspire me. On that note, I’d love to check out Elfchens. Always love to broaden my horizon on anything in the writing space. Thanks again and talk to you soon! Cheers, Ellen
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet and commented:
Advice Wanted!!! Share it if you have it.
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And of course I am open to collaboration! Let me know what type of work you’re thinking about and we can go from there 🙂
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Follow your heart ❤️
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As someone who has a dream, now turned into a definitive goal, to write novels and stories full-time (including music and poetry as well for sure), I feel what others have already written here in the comments. Their wisdom and experience at having left a specific career to pursue a different one will offer more than I can with my hypothetical.
My sister shared a post with me from Captain Awkward about a person looking to leave a well paying job to start a different career. The answer can initially be: in the near future. If there is a chance to stick at that well paying job for a bit longer to set up being able to dive into writing in the future (having planned out those steps) then is that something that resonates? Or causes friction with waiting until some as yet unknown future time? (If I can find the specific post I shall share it with you!)
I think about this every very question every day, and I am so thankful for you asking it, and sharing your experience, and everyone else sharing their experience too!
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts here. I love that we have the same similar goal–to be full time authors doing what we love for a living. For the short future, I think it’s best for me to balance keeping my job while working daily at my goal of writing. Although I wish I could dive into the deep end of being an author, I stop myself and appreciate the things a full-time job offers me: security, stability, a lovely routine, health insurance. These are things I’ve easily taken for granted. I would love to read the post your sister shared with you. I love that we’re on the same path and I look forward to continuing to support each other and encourage each other to dive into the deep end when the time is right ❤
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I found the article my sister shared with me! Captain Awkard is an awesome blogger, answering questions in useful ways to continue doing life well:
https://captainawkward.com/2016/10/24/913-you-dont-have-to-quit-your-day-job-right-this-second-to-follow-a-creative-dream/
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Should I follow my passion, or be responsible?
*I read all the above replies and I must say, you have some wise readers. What stuck in my mind most, is the old but simple comment; “Life is too short, to be anything but happy!” You describe your life is at a crossroad. I have a different perspective. You say you are happy with work, co-workers, overall job satisfaction, friends, free-time activities, etc. Why not have it all? Why should a person ever have to quit 7 things they enjoy, to start another? Even if today you think; “No way can I do both.” Tomorrow, next month, 2022, may surprise you. My father often said; “There is only one constant in this world and that is change.” So today you think; “I must quit and/or leave all these things I enjoy, if I want this opportunity.” Don’t be impatient, if you are happy because the future will rush in “New Opportunities” and you can have it all…
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