Question about doing what I love

[GMATFanatic77]

Hello,

There are many folks including psychologists, philosophers and career counselors who say that people should do what they love so that success will follow. I have taken multiple career tests recently and the results did not show anything about my interest in starting a restaurant or bakery business, for example. I want to know if I start a restaurant or bakery business will I hate the work in managing a restaurant or bakery business? Is it a MYTH that I must DO what I LOVE? Are there people who have started businesses that are outside their passion?

Thanks,

GMATFANATIC77

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear GMATFanatic77,

There are many successful people who do jobs that they don't feel passionate about--it is a function of ambition, motivation, and work ethic. The theory that success will follow if you do what you love is also true, but it assumes what you love results in making money. So I think you are missing a critical piece of the "do what you love" theory which is, "figure out how to make money doing what you love." Most career tests will not identify jobs as specific as "running a restaurant or bakery". However, if you scored well on the skill dimensions for entrepreneurship, then I think opening your own restaurant or bakery might be something you enjoy.

Remember, none of these tests are a predictor of anything. They are simply meant to help those that do not have any idea of what to do find a place to start in terms of figuring out what to do. The tests do not rule in or out any career path for anybody. If you want to open a restaurant, than open one and make it a success.

My last bit of advice: no matter what you think you might want to do, it is always helpful to talk to people who have done it (both successes and failures). You want to get a realistic preview of what that job is like and the tasks/responsibilities are that you would do. Then you can determine if it sounds like something you would like and if you are prepared to handle the associated level of risk.

Good luck,
Lisa