3 Things that have Inspired me to Follow my Heart at Work
Recently I met a lady whose daughter was four and wanted to be an artist. The mom joked around and told us all, how she thought it was a hobby and engineering was the way to go. At four. I forced myself not to wince. Everyone likes to minimize their risks in life and at work. In my 20s, ‘follow your heart’ is an oft repeated advice from a few friends. It is a nice thing to say and sounds much cooler compared to the more common- “get a job and settle down” or “find a job to secure your future” or worse still “you need to get married now”. As you can guess it, most people end up joining the bandwagon and doing regular tasks without so much as following their hearts. So as a creative storyteller, how do I inspire myself to follow my heart especially at work?
In many ways, I feel narcissistically proud of myself at times. I may still need to reach exceptional levels of success, but I do make a living doing something I enjoy doing. What keeps me inspired? To be honest, I channelize the negative emotions to make me work harder. Fear of failure can help you work great lengths to do all you can to avoid it. Here are three things that I have feared all my life that have in turn inspired me to follow my heart at work!
“Only Boring People Get Bored”- Betty Draper, Mad Men
Monotony at workplace is completely commonplace and nine out of ten people would admit to it. We all feel dissatisfied with work at some point or the other. But, like the Betty Draper quote, magic happens, whenwe do something about it. The only way to avoid such a dreadful situation is to find your passion and then pursue it to the hilt. I find myself dreaming of what I can do the moment I see boredom creeping in. I create new work opportunities, meet new people and don’t sit and mop but do something to break the shackles.
“To be a great motorbike racer, the most important thing is the passion for the bike” - Valentino Rossi
A bad job is a scary scenario for me personally. There are a lot of people who get stuck in jobs for years and still do not like it. They tell themselves that they can notleave because they have no other option and must make a living. And sometimes it is the harsh reality of their lives. I personally find it frightening that I may have to do something that I detest for the rest of my life just so that I can pay my rent. So I workhard to establish myself in a field that allows me to do something I like. It began with identifying my passions that have led me to find purpose. It’s not easy, but nothing worth having is meant to be simple. So, I wake up and tell myself, today is a new day of opportunities and get set to work harder than before.
“It takes two flints to make a fire” - Louisa May Alcott
We are social animals. Even when someone seems like a loner, it is more likely that the person is just not finding the right company. Personally, I have particular tastes and preferences and I enjoy interacting with people who share my tastes. Many people leave jobs not because of bad work, but poor team culture and bosses they don’t get along with. Conversely, I am exceptionally creative around people who trust me and understand my creative sensibilities. The risk of incompatibility is the maximum when you are working in a field that you do not like in the first place. And that’s something that drives me to keep at my work passion each day. I don’t want to be that person in office constantly complaining. I want to bring positive energy instead and collaborate to make a project wonderful. Passion is contagious, especially at work.
How about you? What inspires you to remain passionate about your work?
