Get Edified! Video Blog - 7/10/13 - Do what you love

Hi, everyone. My name is Ed DeCosta of www.EdDeCosta.com. Today is Wednesday, July 10, 2013. Today’s YouTube video is about “Do What You Love.” I’m an executive coach. I’m not a career counselor; I’m not a career coach, even. But I get asked, from time to time, by the students that I teach at that local university and by others, as well, about career advice. I’m one of those who subscribes to those three litmus test kind of questions about vocations, about what it is you do for a living. The first one is: do you enjoy it? Do I enjoy what it is I’m doing? The second is: am I any good at it? Do I have talents? Do I have gifts in this particular area? The third is just an economic reality: can I make a living doing it? That first question – do I enjoy it? – that’s the most important one. Do you love what you do? You’ve probably heard it before: do what you love, love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life, because it truly is taking advantage of the gifts that you’ve been given. Time doesn’t seem like it passes while you’re doing this particular task. Another great way of looking at it is if money were no object, would you do this for free? I’m not suggesting that you do, but would you? If you found your true gift zone, you absolutely are enjoying it. You’ll take the money, thank you very much, but that’s not the primary driver. The second one, of course, is important, too. Are you any good at it? Early on in your career, you may not be very good at it. But again, you’re looking for something that you have an aptitude for, an innate ability. Do you get complimented for it? Do you find it intuitive? Those are some good questions to ask as it pertains to your talent for a particular profession. The third, it’s an economic reality. You have to get paid. You have an obligation to support yourself and maybe your family and others in your community. You owe it to yourself to find something that you can get paid enough, of course, to meet your standard of living or the quality of life and the standard of living that you desire. Those are the three questions. But of course, the most important is: do what you love. Don’t settle, like in so many other things in life. Don’t settle. Follow your intuition. Follow your passion. Follow your heart. Don’t give up until you’ve found something that you can answer all three of those questions. I hope you found this helpful. My name is Ed DeCosta of www.EdDeCosta.com. Wherever you are, make it a great day.