Though I agree in principal, I have to disagree to keep things realistic. Most of us have jobs we don’t particularly like….or we wouldn’t call it work, it would be going off to fun. But, such as in my case, I need the unrewarding career to have the means and privilage to do the other things in life that fulfil me and my family. Without my unsatisfying job, I couldn’t travel to new places every year, take the kids out to dinner or to a movie on weekends, or buy the things for my family that I want to instead of just need to. That, I guess, is what ultimately makes an unsatisfying job more satisfying, and woth puting up with daily. Not that your reasoning wasn’t ideal. I mean, I’d love to do what you do, Jason. It’s a ton of work, but I can tell you love doing what you do, and it shows in your work every day.
Guy~

Comment by Guy on 8/16/2006 @ 10:41 am

I definitely understand your point, Guy. I am certainly not an advocate for shirking other responsibilities and commitments. And from the sound of it, you are able to pursue things that you’re passionate about OUTSIDE of your career, which is good. I certainly don’t want to portray my situation as ideal. Kim and I have made a ton of unconventional and unpopular sacrifices, and there are certain aspects of my job that I don’t find particularly fun at all.

But I do know that all of the successful, happiest, and most fulfilled people I know don’t look at their job as something that’s UNrewarding. Or something that only provides money to do other things. My only major challenge to your comment is something I brought up in my post: Why do you assume that you can’t have a career that not only allows you to travel to new places or take the kids out to a movie, but is ALSO rewarding? Perhaps I’d consider that unrealistic if only I hadn’t seen firsthand countless examples to the contrary.

Anyway, that’s my take. Thanks for contributing to the conversation, Guy — you always add great food for thought.

Jason

By the way, dear readers, if you like Kim & Jason, you should check out Guy’s comic. (http://www.colecomics.com) It’s got some pretty good writing.

Comment by Jason on 8/16/2006 @ 11:26 am

I’m in a mid 20’s crisis. Everything you’ve said has given me some comfort. It’s actually really sad that i have to read it through a website to fully comprehend how bad it is I feel by working my current job. there’s been so many excuses made to not consider doing something else because of my debt, my family, what my peers would think. there must be others in my current situation or frame of mind… college was a vacation before the real world. in the real world, everyone settles into their positions as if that was their only purpose, your worth is determined by another person (management, the whole corporate structure). i feel guilty having these feelings because i have it so much better than people who are really struggling and would work my job and be grateful for it. it’s a middle class mentality to hate your job because college has told me i am destined for so much more. i could be someone by going to college. now slowly but surely i am wasting away.

Comment by Anonymous on 9/13/2006 @ 5:54 pm

While what you say is great and definitely ideal, this “find your passion and go after it,” many don’t know what that passion is, and think that if they can just *get through* to the next day, the next month, the next promotion, it’ll get better. I sometimes have tried to fool myself with this, so I’ve given it up and let the Big Guy drive the bus, and help steer me towards what I love. Now right now, I’m doing a lot of that outside of work, though I still manage to find something to be passionate about at my job now, namely the awesome people I get to serve. If you look for something to be passionate about, chances are…you’ll find it. If you’re looking for what’s missing, chances are you’ll find it too.

Comment by Phil Gerbyshak on 9/18/2006 @ 9:41 pm

Phil,
Good stuff. In regards to the idea of people not knowing what their passion is, I offer this technique I once heard years ago: Think back to what you wanted to be when you grew up. President? Astronaut? Ballerina? This holds a clue as to what you’re supposed to be doing now. It helps to look at WHY you wanted to be/do that thing, as opposed to heading straight for NASA. If you wanted to be an astronaut, was it because you wanted to explore new worlds? Were you intrigued by the physics of it all? Or did you like the idea of going really, really fast?

For instance, I dreamed of becoming George Lucas of Star Wars fame. Looking back, I think I was most enamored by how he used his creativity and imagination to create characters and worlds and stories to entertain millions of people. Now that I’m all grown up, I can see how through Kim & Jason, I’ve used my own imagination to create characters and stories to entertain lots of people. (I’m not quite to the million stratosphere yet.)

Anyway, just some food for thought for those of you out there wondering what exactly you’re supposed to be doing with your life

Comment by Jason on 9/19/2006 @ 4:39 pm

Jason,
I’ve just discovered your blog and I love it! Obviously YOU are passionate about what you do. As a life & career coach that still holds down a day job (like Phil am working my passion on the side till it blossoms and grows)I HEAR you on this post.

I talk with so many people that are just LOST. Even if they had the time or money to pursue their passion, it often eludes them.

I agree to thinking back to what you dug as a kid…we get so trapped with being “adults” that we forget the whole reason we’re here is to BE happy, to pursue our passions and fulfill THE purpose.

I tell my clients to take baby steps with working the FUN back into their lives and trying to mix in at least 1 thing a day that is JUST for them. When we start LOVING our lives, being present in them instead of “clockwatching” we gain more peace, joy and serenity.

I would LOVE nothing more than to BE full time my business. It IS my passion, but I am realistic that growing a business takes time. Sometimes we get so excited that people think there is a magic bullet out there. It’s still LIFE and we gotta take it one day at a time.

Life is short, live passionately!

Kammie K.

Comment by Kammie K. on 9/24/2006 @ 8:57 pm

Kammie,

I totally love the idea of baby steps. That’s practical, doable, and leads to more sweeping (and positive) changes.

It does take a long time to grow a business, and I can be terribly impatient with that end of things. Slowing down to appreciate the journey is the true treasure, I’ve found. (but sometimes forget;)

Comment by Jason on 9/26/2006 @ 9:00 pm

[...] Many jubilant thanks to Coach Kammie for the shout out regarding this post and the Escape Adulthood manifesto. Too kind. [...]

Pingback by Escape Adulthood » Passion Meets Purpose on 9/26/2006 @ 9:11 pm

Nice post, Jason. Thanks. I linked to it here:

http://westallen.typepad.com/trackknacks/2006/10/some_fine_advic.html

When people are seeking their passion, this little exercise can often be very helpful:

http://westallen.typepad.com/trackknacks/2006/07/do_you_know_you.html

Comment by Stephanie West Allen on 10/15/2006 @ 12:09 pm

[...] This reminds me two blog posts Jason shared last year. The first post was about living life for today because tomorrow is not guaranteed. The second post he shared a few months ago about staying in the wrong job. They are both well worth the detour. [...]

Pingback by Swingset Reflections » Today is only the beginning. on 1/7/2007 @ 6:08 pm

[...] Are you in your dream job? If so, I applaud you. But you are in the minority. According to a CareerBuilder.com survey released on January 25th, more than four out of five U.S. workers are still searching for their dream job. One way to begin the search is to look back at your own childhood. I find the comments by one of the CareerBuilder.com representatives interesting: "What defines a dream job is surprisingly reminiscent of childhood wishes for many workers," said Richard Castellini, vice president of consumer marketing at CareerBuilder.com. "Workers said they want to enjoy their work experience, apply their talents and feel like they’re making an impact. Having fun at work was the most important attribute of a dream job for 39 percent of workers, which heavily outweighed the 12 percent who said salary was most important." [...]

Pingback by Escape Adulthood » Are You in Your Dream Job? on 1/28/2007 @ 10:30 pm

Don’t you have to get offered a job doing what you want? What if the offer never comes? Well, then you can wish and try all you want. Believe it or not someone has to GIVE you an opportunity first, what you do with it is another thing. But like I said if the opportunity never comes, what are you supposed to do then?

Comment by Anonymous on 6/6/2007 @ 9:55 am

Too bad that last comment was “anonymous” but I’ll respond anyway. Actually no, you don’t necessarily have to be offered a job doing what you want. No one offered me this job. I created it. Now some career fields may depend on someone else giving you an opportunity (like a faculty position at a university.) And you have to have a certain level of talent to even compete in other fields (no way I’d ever get a contract to sing anywhere else but the shower.) But there are an amazing number of things a person can do to put himself or herself in a position to earn that opportunity. Maybe I’m too stubborn, but if the opportunity never comes, I’d say try harder.

Comment by Jason on 6/6/2007 @ 3:18 pm

Actually, “yes you do have to get a first job offer” for many professional fields. You have to get your foot in the door and pay dues. There are too many applicants out there these days. Mind you I didn’t say “give up” or “don’t give it your best” For every success story of escape and fulfillment there are hundreds who never could cut it, never gave up and never got anywhere in the professional field of their choice. Don’t even get me started on consulting or freelance work. There are plenty of talented folks willing to work for free (example Graphic design) and I and many others who own and manage businesses would hire them, with no real experience for free. So, where do they go? To jobs they hate, but someone is willing to hire and pay them to do. I hate to say it, but with many professions it’s a supply and demand thing. No way around it, some peoples joys will ALWAYS be hobbies. But, hey people still have their dreams and nobody can take that away.

Comment by Anonymous on 6/6/2007 @ 4:44 pm

I had a chance to see more of your website. I guess you are in the business of encouraging people to follow their dreams. So that means anything other than idealism won’t fit into this blog. Its your bag, so I won’t trample on it anymore. You keep boosting peoples hopes as they sit in their cubicles slaving away without many other choices. Good job creating your dream job and good luck

Comment by Anonymous on 6/7/2007 @ 3:14 pm

[...] If you’re new to this blog, here’s what it’s all about. You may also want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!I wrote a post last August that continues to get a lot of attention and reader feedback. It’s all about the phenomenon of people settling for unrewarding careers and jobs. I listed a bunch of reasons — I call them excuses — that people give for this interesting but overwhelmingly common condition. I proposed the idea that no one has to settle for an unrewarding, passionless work life. [...]

Pingback by Escape Adulthood » Pro Choice on 6/8/2007 @ 1:06 pm

Mervin…

I have seen many sites before and most of them do not look this good. I cannot wait to let my friends know about this site. Thanks for the excellent content….

Trackback by Mervin on 12/10/2007 @ 2:14 am

Everything I’ve read makes good sence. My frustration is that I know what I’m passionate about, I’ve worked in my dream job before (differant state…) but where I live now it is virtually impossible to get back into it as there are so many more with more experiance. It’s pure frustration and sadness remembering what I once had and wishing I could go back. It does all come down to what is feesable, in this market I can’t very well just pick up and move (our neighbors have tried) and besides I wouldn’t want to raise my son in such a small town. I truly belive you have to find your passion and try to work it in one way or another, it’s just a matter of figuring out how.

Comment by Sara on 7/5/2008 @ 2:41 pm