The Passion Trap: Why Following Your Bliss Can Lead to a Dead End
Jul 17th, 2008 by admin
You’ve heard it said many times, “Follow your bliss. Pursue your passion. Do what you love doing”. Not only has it been said for thousands of years, but it’s also backed by modern career interest surveys and assessments. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that most people do well at what they love doing, and love doing what they do well.
When I decided to transition from the corporate world, I starting by writing down what I loved, what moved me, what excited me and what fulfilled me during my years as a leader. In those pages I discovered a blueprint from which I could design my coaching and consulting practice. The key elements in that blueprint became the foundation for my coaching and consulting business. Eight years later I am still energized and immensely fulfilled by my work.
I even devoted a chapter in my book, The Secret of Transitions, to the power that is created when purpose and passion are combined to launch a life or career transition. So why is pursuing one’s passion often a recipe for a career or small business dead-end?
It’s because we often mistake “being comfortable” as an important indicator of something we love doing. I wonder how many small businesses are mistakenly purchased as a symbolic representation of one’s passion. Instead of a dream come true, that Bed & Breakfast in New Hampshire becomes a nightmare. That’s because it wasn’t a bold pursuit of purpose and passion. It was an escape.
Retreats and safe harbors are wonderful for reclaiming and rebuilding one’s resources. But they can be lousy places to live. If your “dream” creates a sense of an idyllic and comfortable future, you could be heading down the wrong path. Instead of feeling comfortable, perhaps it is fear that signals the true path to take. Personally, I’ve found that lurking behind my greatest aspirations, there is fear. The bigger my dream, the greater my resistance.
Almost any time we contemplate a new and untested future, we are likely to experience a confusing mix of exhilaration and fear. It’s a natural part of our wiring. But there is no better source of personal and professional growth than the taking on something new; especially when the stakes are high and you are personally at risk.
The most common regrets at the end of life are that we didn’t risk enough to discover and use our gifts, or to fully express our love. Being tested, stretched and going beyond the edge of your comfort zone is nature’s prescription for vitality, confidence, strength and growth. Welcome that fear you feel at the beginning of a transition. It is a gift you must unwrap.
