Here we are getting ready for another season of college graduations and the commencement speakers. A survey conducted reflects that once you subtract any of the politically motivated speeches more than half of the remaining commencement speakers will have within their talk some wording to the subject of ‘follow your passion’.
Now you are being asked on the eve of the Kentucky Derby – is this for real and really great advice – or, as any stable keeper will tell you even the horses that race in the Kentucky Derby leave a bunch of horse crap on the floor.
So which is it?
Great Advice OR Horse Crap
“It is the rare person who finds their passion, follows their passion and is able to live and work in their passion. It is now not work, it is the enjoyment of being in their passion.” – Mitch Tublin
The key phrase: it is the rare person….
Upon graduating from college sooner or later reality will catch up with every single person. My good friend and one of my mentors, Paul Martinelli, President of The John Maxwell Team, often says to groups of entrepreneurs – “Show me your checkbook and your datebook and I will tell you how your business is doing.”
To simplify:
Reality setting in means you can say you are following your passion until the cows come home. If you are not making any money, if you’re not bringing home the bacon, you may be in for a rough ride.
Okay now we understand each other. Does this mean the advice ‘to follow your passion’ is bad advice. In a word – YES!
Since the mid 1990’s career coach type people and other life advisors have been belching out this nonsense and it is really bad advice – PERIOD.
So what should we be saying to our about to graduate from college youth and even the thirty something year old living in their parents basement?
Well first let me offer you and them a high value no cost call at the end of May or early June on this exact topic.
For right now here are three action steps to follow:
FIRST
Consider what you feel is a valuable change you would like to make in the world?
While you are considering what this change may be think about this in the way of:
- Do you physically need to be the one and how much can you physically do to create this change?
- Would earning a good amount of money and contributing or starting up an organization be a more effective way to create this change?
- Is anyone else currently working in this area of change now and connect with them?
SECOND
Obtain a real skill. Master something. Study it – do it – give it away, sell it, get really great at something. This will take you places and you will meet people and work with people who will be open to speaking with you about the first step.
THIRD
Always be aware of the issues or problems which need to be solved. Where do you see solutions to these problems?
Right now if these three action steps are followed with consistency a shocking behavior and feeling may take over someone. They may become passionate about something.
Mitch Tublin is the CEO and Founder of Wenkroy International LLC a boutique consulting company with a main focus on Strategic Business Consulting, Training and Business Coaching. Our passion is to take people to the next level in their life and in their business.
