Risky Business
Posted by Anne
No, this post is not about Tom Cruise. He creeps me out.
No, not the movie. (Sorry I misled you with that picture.) I’m talking about a different kind of risky business…the professional kind. The kind that makes us gaze in admiration, and wonder if we’ll ever have the chance (or the guts) to pursue the proverbial “dream”. We see these stories all the time—people who chuck their “safe” careers, and dramatically switch directions…usually resulting in some very lucky inspiring and artistic professional success. Sometimes these brave souls even do so at the risk of losing a paycheck, or worse yet, health benefits. But they go forth. They say, “So long, law!” They shout, “Hasta la Vista, Marketing!” They make it happen. They become writers, comedians, bakers, and actors. They take risks. They follow their passion. There is both risk and passion. And so I ask you…
Does Passion = Risk? Or perhaps more accurately, does passion necessitate risk?
Awhile back, Gale from TenDollarThoughts contributed this guest-post, asking a very similar question. I think it’s worth revisiting. First off? Let’s tackle the word “passion”. I hear this word quite a bit in a given week. Enter the sweet, naïve, and slightly bemused freshman. I ask what brings him or her into my office. They say—at age 18—“Well, I was hoping you could help me find my career passion.” Riiight. Let me get on that.
Actually, I think these students are sweet. I shouldn’t judge. After all, I was one of them about a decade ago. But this word “passion” gets bandied about so much, I wonder if any of us know what the heck we’re talking about awhen we use it. Generally speaking, people are “passionate” about activities—pursuits—that they find both interesting and fulfilling. So…why aren’t we all working careers that embody our “passion”? A few theories…
1. Discovering your “passion” is hard. It’s not something you’re born with. It’s not something that you discover in a tidy package when you’re ready to declare a college major. It’s something you have to search for, wait for, and for which you need oodles of life experience. It’s elusive, this passion thing. You may have more than one passion. And it may not come to you with clashing symbols and Oprah-esque inspiration. But do look for it.
2. You’ve discovered your passion, and frankly you aren’t that skilled at it. Recently, I gave a presentation on careers and passion for a group of students attending a weekend leadership conference. The student organizers had chosen a video clip for us to watch. The clip was Wanda Sykes, describing how and why she left a perfectly safe and respectable career to pursue comedy. As she spoke about taking risks, following dreams, and ditching healthcare for a few years while she got her start, I watched the students around me. They laughed, smiled, and felt inspired. And so did I. But as they reacted to the video and discussed the importance of passion, one lone voice spoke up from the back. “What if you’re not any good at the thing you’re passionate about?” Yes, there’s the rub. What if Wanda Sykes wasn’t funny? Generally speaking, I think we tend to be passionate about things for which we have at least some skill. I don’t find a great deal of joy in, say, gardening…probably because I tend to kill plants. Go figure. But this student’s point was well-taken. When the expectation is to make your passion financially viable, we raise the stakes quite a bit.
3. You’re unwilling to take the risk. I asked these same students—“Is it possible to follow your passion with taking some amount of risk?” Many of them said…no. Perhaps it’s because we assume someone’s “passion” must be something artistic—abstract—unstable. And so the option seems to become “either-or”. And actually, I don’t particularly like this line of thinking. It says to me…if you like to cook, but don’t want to open your own restaurant/bakery/catering business, then you’re out of luck. Keep it as a hobby. And while hobbies are fine, I have to believe there’s a middle ground—a place where we can use our passions and pursue our dreams in a slightly less dramatic fashion. The writer who writes for their job, for example. But you know me…I’m a change-phobe.
I don’t have an answer for this “risk and passion” question, just as I didn’t have an answer for those students who looked at me expectantly—waiting to see if I’d illuminate how they could enjoy a “passionate” and a likewise safe existence. If you’re working in some capacity that uses your “passion”…good for you. And if you’re not? I’m not sure I think it’s because you’re an inherently un-risky person. Maybe you are. But maybe that opportunity to blend work and passion just hasn’t found you yet. Maybe you’re still grappling your way through discovering your passion. It takes time. Roll with it. If it’s time to take a risk, I believe you’ll know.
Okay, readers…does passion necessitate risk? And how many of you a) know what the heck your “passion(s)” is/are? And b) Do you get to incorporate your passion into your work? And c) Do you feel like you had to take a big risk to do so?
Also, if you’ve got the time and want to check it out, here’s the clip the students selected for the presentation. Enjoy!
February 19th, 2010 at 7:27 am
For starters, I think the movie City Slickers should give us the answer, but all it gives is the question: What’s your One Thing?But..anyway…my point at the moment is this: so many of the options presented to young people are BORING. And the reason they’re boring is that they’re not creative. On top of that, our family, church, political affiliations, all sorts of sources of influence tell us we must be productive and a real do-gooder! It’s still my own problem to find my One Thing, but it seems to me that society’s not out to help me do it.
February 19th, 2010 at 8:15 am
Passion = risk only if the thing you’re passionate about requires it. We tend to think of the two as going hand in hand, but what about the engineer who’s really passionate about engineering? Not a lot of risk involved there from an employment standpoint (unless, of course, he’s from a family of artists who expects the same of him, in which case it IS risky business). So that’s where it gets complicated: passions and risks are individual constructions.
February 19th, 2010 at 8:54 am
I’ll echo Elizabeth’s point that we assume passion requires risk, but this may not be the case. As for me, I don’t know that I’ve found my passion, but I’m okay with that. I’m very happy with the rest of my life and I will continue to keep an eye out for my passion in the meantime. Lazy? Maybe. But it works for me.
February 19th, 2010 at 8:55 am
You know, I think we are passionate about things we have at least SOME skill at. I don’t know why I’m pretty certain about this, but I am. ???
Some passions involve a lot of risk. And faith in yourself. Which is why a lot of us don’t pursue them–it’s scary to put yourself out there!
February 19th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Ah, passion. That ambiguous, over-used word. You’re so right that passion is hard to find. We’re drawn to stories of people who had “AHA!” moments and found great success, but I think this is pretty rare. And maybe not what I actually want.
I agree with your thoughts on the passion-risk relationship. We mistakenly believe risk is necessary to follow our passion, our calling. (Again, these are the best stories, right?) But taking risks is not always a good trait – especially in these times.
PS – Tom Cruise creeps me out too!
February 19th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Hmm. Insightful. And I have to take more time to think about this and internalize it (right, like I have the time), but these are my very first thoughts:
Passion doesn’t necessitate risk unless you want this passion, the ONE THING, to be your career or source of income. Some passions will be inherently more risky than others, I suppose. As in, you are more likely to find a job as a lawyer if the law is your passion, than an artist if art is your passion. That said, you obviously have to be smart and dedicated and GOOD at the LAW part to find a job, but let’s assume that your passion got you through the bar exam even if your brain cells were struggling.
My husband quit his job 6 months ago and started his own company. A passion for his business? Yeah, sure. But a passion to be his own boss and try something on his own? Yes, DEFINITELY.
I now find myself in the same position he was in. It has taken many, many years but I think I am finally closing in on my passions (god, I’m sick of the word already) and need to find a way to use them, enrich them, profit from them.
But let’s say you don’t need to make money from the thing that you love. Or don’t care to. Then where is the risk? I admire people who seem to have a double life. They work at a job that is so-so and provides them the life that they want to lead, and income and some stability, and then outside of that profession they are uniquely drawn to their honest passion–cooking, gardening, art, writing, music…
Interesting that for me “passion” goes hand in hand with creativity. Whether that’s creativity with numbers, letters, colors, thoughts…fill in the blank.
Um, yeah, more thinking to do on this. Lots more…as my life finally starts to unfold without a lot of pushing from me!
February 19th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I’m still searching for my passions! That’s the great part of life. And I also think that if you are passionate about something, nothing can hold you back–risk becomes obsolete.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
hmmm. Yes. I exited my profession in management consulting with the more-than-comfortable salary because I wanted to change my career direction – align it closer to my passion for community service. I volunteered for a long while. Not much of a paycheck there, so I’d say that was a HUGE risk. Eventually I made the connections I needed to find a place in the nonprofit world where I feel I belong. There is a risk and there is a reward for the risk. It has to do with expending your energy toward an endeavor that resonates closely with your own set of values.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
wow…such insightful comments for a Friday. I’m loving everyone’s thoughts. Sarah-also particularly resonated with your idea that it’s only a risk if you want it to be a big moneymaker. Diane–good for you for finding something that feels “you”. Gale and Terry–keep searching. Still trying to figure mine out too:) And I’m glad I’m not the only creeped out by Tom Cruise.
February 19th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
“I’m passionate about learning. I’m passionate about life.”
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000129/bio
February 20th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. In my lifelong quest to find my “passion” I have only just realized that IT may not look like what I thought it would and IT may not feel like I thought it would and IT will definitely be messier than I thought it would.
I am one of those people that left a “safe” job for the world of the unknown. But I did not have a clear “passion” I was planning to pursue when I left. I just knew that I needed the room to figure it all out. I still haven’t figured it all out – not by a long shot – but I am finally enjoying the ride.
That counts for a lot.
February 20th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Rebecca, have you been reading my diary?
February 20th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Still looking for that “passion!” I know I will find it eventually. I search for it daily. I know it, at least in my case, involves some sort of creativity. I am not sure what sort, though.
People laugh but at 48, I am still unsure what I want to be when I grow up.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
A person can have many passions, right?
I am passionate about being a mom. It did involve bodily (IV’s) and some monetary (kids are expensive!) risks, but it seemed to work out.
I am passionate about learning. Something that definitely does not come with risks. (Except for the time management risk!)
I am passionate about writing. Some personal risk (will anybody read what I write?) involved.
Each of these passions involve different (or no) risks but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t jump into them wholeheartedly.
Fascinating questions and wonderful comments!
February 21st, 2010 at 9:51 am
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