Turning your passion into a new career or business
My career as a headhunter led me to meet with many talented professionals.
We exchanged on their passions and their career aspirations. Some of them
transformed their passion into a new career or business, while others decided
not to follow their passion, preferring to remain in their "comfort
zone" for many understandable and pragmatic reasons.
Pursuing one’s passion is not for everyone: every situation is different!
The following are 2 examples of pursuing one’s passion with advice for each.
Exploring a new career
Following a passion is not necessarily about giving up the option of
a paid full-time employment, it can be about finding a new full-time career
that better corresponds to what you want from a job.
If you do a job that you don’t really like, it can lead to negative effects such as frustration and stress.
Ask yourself “what gives me fulfilment and purpose”
You can ask additional questions such as:
Is this what I really want to do?
Do I find a sense
of purpose in doing this?
Do I have the
necessary drive, energy, and motivation to see it through?
Do I have the necessary skills to make it work?
If you are lacking in certain skills, educate yourself by following relevant training or education.
Remember that it is one thing to be passionate about something, however, changing a career path merits prior reflection.
Exploring launching a business
If your choice is to start your own business, you should be asking the prior questions, as well as the following:
Is my business idea likely to work?
Is this sustainable
in the long-term?
Do I have an
entrepreneurial mindset?
Am I prepared to
put in the hard work and long hours to launch and grow the business?
Is this the right
timing?
Do I have the
support of my family and friends?
Will I be able to
make a living from the business?
Before launching a business, you need to write a business plan.
The content of the business plan will depend on the business concept and
whether you are seeking finance or not.
Whether your choice is to pursue a new career or start your own business, it is advisable to ask yourself the right questions and to have a realistic vision of where you want to go and what income you need to generate to pay the bills and extras.
Before embarking on a new project, be honest with yourself and ask the advice of close friends and family. Do they see you happy and motivated in this type of role or as an entrepreneur? To begin a new project, it is always good to have the feedback, support and encouragement of people who know you well.
Whatever choice you make, it will require hard work, confidence, motivation and continued passion. In the long run, if you manage to turn what you love doing into your perfect career or your own business, you are more likely to be satisfied and happy.
“You can do anything as long as you have the passion, the drive, the focus and the support”
Sabrina Bryan