Turning Your Passion into a Career
“When you start to incorporate your passions into your daily routine, you cease to work and start to live”. Noeline Kirabo
Dreams are a vital aspect of human expectations. Therefore, a dream is a wish and could come as an aspiration, it can metamorphose into your ambition which means your desire to achieve a set-out goal; then passion becomes your driver. Passion is also a vital drive towards achieving your dreams, it is one of the most critical tools you must deploy in pursuing your set out goals. For me as an individual, I embraced the importance of knowledge-seeking early enough in life. I acquired the requisite knowledge that enabled me to identify my skill which was carpentry and pursued it vigorously to achieve my dreams, which was to become the best furniture manufacturing company in Nigeria. It was a huge ambition, given the fact that the dominant furniture company in Nigeria then was Julius Berger (AFP), it was a tall order competing with them, and I had to go to Europe to acquire the necessary training to improve my skills. I trained in Leather and Woodwork in Milan (Italy), Glass and Metal Works in Hamburg, (Germany).
Growing up in Nigeria, trying to survive in a third-world country, we did not have a lot of opportunities to dream, to follow our passion. We were told that “you do not talk about passion until you have made enough money”. Don't get me wrong, this advice appears practical, and it has worked for so many people, but not me; I refused to believe that! Now before the hate mail starts rolling in, I am not saying a sustainable career is not important. However, passion is a powerful thing, and it is extremely rare in a career. If you're going to wager on your passion, be sure it's valued, if you do not know how to bring value to others or if your passion does not solve any problems, I recommend that you take a different path. Turning your passion into a career requires a lot of hardwork and dedication. For others to believe in your passion, you have to believe in it first, and that's what I did.
As someone who has experienced the power of passion in my own career, I can attest to the importance of finding work that ignites your soul. I've always been passionate about carpentry, the ability to create something out of nothing. I feel incredibly fortunate to have turned that passion into a career. But it wasn't always easy, there were times when I doubted myself and wondered if I was on the right track, which is natural; it is human nature to have self doubt. For me, my passion for carpentry comes from the satisfaction of seeing a project come to life. There's nothing quite like the feeling of taking a pile of lumber and turning it into something beautiful and functional. I also enjoy the problem-solving challenge that each project presents. Carpentry necessitates a high level of critical thinking and adaptation, and I enjoy applying my abilities to solve unusual problems.
Now how exactly does one turn his passion into a career? Some of the tricks that have worked for me are;
- First of all you have to identify your gift, passion and gauge how important it is to you and decide on the vehicle through which you will share your gifts with the world
- Volunteer or intern: Think about volunteering or interning in a field of interest to you. This can help you obtain experience and assess if this is a job you're interested in.
- Communicate with others who work in fields that interest you. Attend business events and join professional groups to network and learn more about various job options related to your preferred niche.
Put these pieces together, and you'll have the essential foundation to affect not only those in this lifetime, but also those in future lifetimes. On a broader level, pursuing a career that inspires and feeds your passion almost always ensures long-term success. If you are passionate about your career, you will be motivated to work hard every day. Be willing to attempt new things and face new challenges. Sometimes you discover a passion you had no idea you had.
Finally, there is no passion in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. I strongly believe that you can achieve anything as long as you have the passion, the drive, the focus and the support.