The Myths and Realities of 'Doing What You Love'

Should a person follow their passion as a primary guiding light for their career?

Or does it make more sense to choose a career based on income and aptitude?

This post originally appeared onThe Simple Dollar.

My own life has been full of the push-and-pull between these two paths.

When I first went to college, I studied something Ive been passionate about my entire life: biology.

I didnt really worry about the pay too much.

It was incredibly enjoyable work, one I found deeply rewarding.

The pay was good but not great, but I enjoyed the workso muchthat I didnt mind.

I didnt enjoy that quite as much, but I had visions of continuing the work that I love.

In short, it turned from something I loved to something I dreaded.

At that point, I started spending my free time dabbling in my other big passionwriting.

Remember when I mentioned that English was one of my favorite classes in high school?

I started investing my spare time in writing.

I started several blogs.

So I jumped on board full time.

Today, you could very easily say that I do what I love writing for The Simple Dollar.

I get to write almost every day, which I enjoy.

I get to have great conversations with readersI getlots of Facebook messageswith great questions and ideas every single day.

I make a reasonably good living (perhaps aided by the fact that my tastes are pretty simple).

There are also a lot of myths out there about both avenues as well.

you might; Ive done it, as have many other people.

So why doesnt everyone do it?

When you go into ahigh-paying career path, theres usually a ton of jobs available.

Its much easier to find work that puts money in your pocket with just a little bit of footwork.

Many people do not.

I tried writing carefully edited and carefully constructed fiction and nonfiction of all kinds.

I tried writing memoirs and train of thought pieces, too.

Is the writing great, the kind youd find inThe New Yorker?

Nope, and I dont claim that it is.

Is it earnest and clear and helpful and always there with new topics and thoughts?

Thats what Im striving for.

you’re able to do what you love.

It just doesnt offer easy entry points like many other career paths offer.

I get to spend time with my children with a lot of flexibility.

That doesnt mean its all perfect.

I sometimes find myself really stressing out about deadlines.

Before I travel, I need to have all of my writing done before I leave.

Taxes for self-employed people are frustrating at times, to say the least.

Writers block can be an utter nightmare.

There is no job thats 100% doing what you love.

Let me repeat that.

The most famous novelist in the world still deals with agents and publishers and the like.

Models and film stars often cant leave their homes without being accosted by photographers and media and overzealous fans.

Jobs and self-employment and microbusinesses have taxes and paperwork and conference calls and negotiations.

No matter what you do, there are tasks that you wont enjoy.

There are pressures that will bear down on you.

There are deadlines and contractual obligations.

My side gig was working for that professor.

Later in my professional life, I spent my spare time writing and building The Simple Dollar.

I worked in a plant pathology lab.

I worked as an understudy of sorts for an IT specialist.

I did tech support for a convention.

It wasnt until I started working for that professor mentioned earlier that I really found something that clicked.

I started a computer consulting gig.

I started a number of blogs, including a parenting blog.

Most of those things failedId call the online poker a semi-success along with a parenting blog.

However, real success didnt strike until The Simple Dollar took off.

I have failed at countless side gigs in my life, far more than I ever succeeded at.

And thats completely fine.

Id even call it normal.

I would have struggled to put food on the table or keep a roof over my head.

I would have perhaps stuck with half-successes, continuing to push them along in mediocrity and never really succeeding.

Leaving them as part-time side gigs gave me the ability to fail and move on to other side gigs.

The vast majority of people dont have income streams from parents to fall back on, either.

Leave the do what you love for side gigs.

The reasons for this are many.

You might want to be an actuary to support your side gig of being a poet.

This allows you to explore that side gig without any initial need to earn money at it.

Better yet, you’re free to fail over and over and over again.

Instead, youll just gain valuable experience and insight for your next attempt.

Its funny how things turn out sometimes.

The same thing was true when I was in college.

Solving those kinds of problems?

Again, its funny how things turn out sometimes.

I still work on writing science fiction, and I dabble in fantasy as well.

Ive written mobile apps.

Ive worked on podcasts and YouTube channels.

Ive done all of those things as side gigs since starting The Simple Dollar.

Have any of them been runaway successes?

Never stop side gigging.

Never stop trying new things.

This is the best route Ive found to get there.

Image bySteve Scottvia Getty.