Does your profession come from your personal passion, or do you work it
because it works?
Maybe some people really love what they do for a living. Sure,
we all know people like that. They seem to leap out of bed each morning, raring
to go. They can’t wait for the weekend to end, so they can jump right back into
their livelihoods.
Or maybe not.
How many more people go through the motions, whether they
honestly enjoy their jobs or not? Certainly, they appreciate being able to pay
their bills, keep the home afloat, and perhaps make a mark in the world
somewhere. Perhaps their occupations occupy lots of their time, while they earn
enough to finance their real passions. Maybe they have hobbies, personal
ministries, or a volunteer pursuits. That counts for plenty, so they show up
for work.
Most American workers seem to feel at least somewhat
disengaged from their jobs, according
to a 2015 Gallop poll. That doesn’t mean employees aren’t meeting deadlines
or quotas or that they are shirking their responsibilities across the board. They just aren't feeling it.
The Journal of Applied Psychology recently
published the findings of a Tel Aviv University study (in collaboration
with the London School of Economics), examining the costs or benefits of
pursuing one’s passions in the workplace. The research
followed 450 high school music students for 11 years, tracing their
careers. Those who carved out music careers earned statistically less than
those who worked in other fields and continued musical pursuits outside of
their jobs. On the other hand, the professional
musicians indicated higher career satisfaction then their musically-oriented
counterparts who were earning more money by working in other industries.
How might these
findings be applied to folks in any career path?
"If you experience a strong calling, you need to be
cognizant of your relative preferences for intrinsic versus extrinsic rewards
and potential trade-offs between the two, then decide accordingly," said Daniel
Heller of Tel Aviv University's Recanati School of Business.
Perhaps chasing
career dreams has a cost. But maybe it’s worth it, if the desire is strong
enough.
Does security trump stimulation, when it comes to choosing a
career? Is value worth more than values? Or is it more a matter of duty
overriding desire to follow one’s personal or professional propensities?
Image/s:
Adapted from public domain photo
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