In a previous blog post we spoke about the importance of doing what you love and/or loving what you do. We’ve all dreamt of the job where you’re earning money for doing something that you would do for free. Following your passion is not always that easy in reality, but also not impossible! So, we would like to share a few tips to try to make that dream scenario reality…

Know your personality

Figure out exactly what it is you like doing. What are you passionate about? Make a list of your interests and what you enjoy doing most. Be really specific with details of what it is you like about individual interests. Our expert contributor Mark Swain speaks about the importance of personality in finding the work you love. Find out more here.

Educate yourself

Passion is something that can develop and grow. Continuously educate yourself as much as possible in whatever it is you’ve decided you want to pursue. Research the most successful entrepreneurs in your area of interest and study their business model. Consider how they’ve turned their passion into a business and see how you could apply that to your interests and skills.

Perspective

Figure out how you can profit from your passion, by looking at it from different perspectives. Think about how you could combine your passion with some of your other interests to form a career or start a business. For example, if you are passionate about cooking and love taking photographs, you could pursue a career in food styling (yes that’s a thing!). Think creatively, consider a variety of options and do something different!

Get support

Find a mentor who can give you guidance and direction, particularly if you’ve decided to go it alone and start a new business. Having previously identified the people in your desired industry that you admire, get in touch with them directly. People are usually very keen to help when they feel flattered! A very easy and effective way of connecting with people outside of your network is via Linkedin.

Persevere

Doing something you’re passionate about will not always be a walk in the park. Be prepared to work long and hard at it before you see results. If you keep at it and persevere, success will come naturally.
 

“If you want to be successful in a particular field of endeavour, I think perseverance is one of the key qualities. It’s very important that you find something that you care about, that you have a deep passion for, because you’re going to have to devote a lot of your life to it.”

George Lucas

For more tips and guidance on shaping a career out of what you love, watch our interview with Jill Grinsted (Head of Sales & Marketing at Forest Holidays).

Grad Bites: Shaping a Career – Pursue your Passion