JOIN USWhen I started working years ago, I had no understanding of what I would love to do for a living. So, going with the flow, just as most of my peers did, I joined a software firm. Years of slogging did help with the EMI. But, somewhere, deep down, disillusionment started to set in. Several times, there was a temptation to quit the whole industry and look for something more meaningful. Stories about different people who took the risk of quitting the corporate world to start their own ventures were inspiring. But the idea of leaving the safety of a monthly cheque for something that was unpredictable had me staring back at the computer again.
I looked around and found people with a glow on their faces, their inner joy reflecting in their smiles. One such woman was an accountant-turned-dance-instructor. I was in awe of her as I had once tried to dance in front of a small group of friends, tripped on my own leg and landed on my base. Due to this painful experience, I knew that any job that involved dancing would not work for me. Another man with the beautiful smile was an engineer-turned-chef. But then, I visualised the expression on my family’s face when I tried to experiment with a new dish — it reflected pure fright. This career option was ruled out without too much consideration given to it. Another girl I happened to meet was a banker-turned-wedding planner. Gosh, I attended my own wedding with great difficulty as I suffer from a condition called “function-phobia”. The symptoms of this condition are extreme pain in the jaw region due to continuously smiling. So this route would definitely not work for me either. All the people who I seemed to know, who quit mainstream jobs, did so to follow their passion. It also gave an indication of their talent. Dance, cooking, baking, painting, photography, stand-up comedy, singing — you name it; all of these people had found an avenue to encash on their talent to make a living. But, notice, there is a catch to this. They had talent.
I did a deep introspection to discover my talent. What was it that made me always lose track of time because I so loved doing it? Does reading thrillers till way into the night count as a talent? Does catching up with friends over coffee make me a talented person? Not surprisingly, I was not able to find anyone who would pay me for these passionate hobbies of mine.
During one of my morning walks, I found another soul with so much peace and joy on her face. She was the sweeper of our road. I thought of the profoundness of this — even with a job like this, it was possible to find joy. And then I understood the actual reason for her happiness. There was no pavement to sweep, as it was all dug up. There was hardly anything left of the road to sweep as that was dug up too. Hence her work was significantly reduced. And probably, it was to remain that way for the whole of the coming year as well. And this kind of happiness, where one gets paid in full for doing half the work, was unbeatable.
I have grown up hearing: “Find a job that you love and you never have to work for the rest of your life.” It is a beautiful saying. However, just to mirror reality, I recommend that it be rephrased — “You better learn to love your job, or else find someone to pay the EMI for you.”