Do What You Love Is Bad Career Advice, Or Is It?

Hatchards in London is the United Kingdom’s oldest bookshop, selling books since 1797. It was so fun to visit and, yes, I bought a few books to bring back to the States!

This weekend, I was invited to participate in a panel discussion at one of my alma maters about becoming a communications consultant and entrepreneur and leaving a stable corporate job. When someone in the audience asked how to go about securing new business and focus your energy, I advised to focus on doing what you love because you’ll attract work you want to do. Following my answer, someone else in the audience said something to the effect that while the mantra of “doing what you love” is nice, she wanted to caution people that sometimes reality dictates the kind of work that comes your way.  

What I heard is that doing what you love is bad career advice. I think she’s wrong.

To use another too-often used mantra: Life Is Short. So damn short. Why would we want to work on stuff we hate? Of course, we all have bills to pay and work we have to do that we don’t always love. I get that. And when I first began my business 12 years ago this month, I took on work for clients that I wondered whether we’d be a good fit. Some were, some weren’t. But every single one of those clients and editors taught me something – even if it was that I don’t love working on those types of projects and to steer away from them.

In the course of these twelve years, though, I also learned the kinds of clients and work I love doing and want to attract more – work that focuses on: art, architect and design (including landscape architecture and gardens and trees), environment and sustainability, food and food justice, health (especially mental health), travel and culture, and women’s and children’s rights. It’s a lot, right? I also really enjoy writing profiles and biographies, as well as features. I love interviewing people and learning their stories. I love telling their stories. I find research fun. This is why I love my work. I’ve written and/or worked on all of these topics in one way or another during the last 12 years.

Rather than take on work you don’t love, why not focus on attracting work you do love? And what better way to do that by doing what you love in the first place? Volunteer for organizations you feel strongly about and network within that space, attend conferences or read trade magazines in the topics you’re interested in, connect with people already working in companies that you might like to work with in the future and let them know you’re available if they need someone like you. The work may not come immediately and it could very well take years, but by constantly putting yourself out there and doing work you love, you’ll start to earn a reputation and that becomes your business card.

Deliberate Freelancer

Recently, I was recently interviewed for Deliberate Freelancer, a new podcast by Melanie Padgett Powers on how to build a successful freelance business. During the podcast, Melanie asked me how I organize my day and stay on task. I’m a planner and I like to plan out my month in advance, then by week, then by day, then by hour and then by 15-minute increments.

Right now, I’m using an excel spreadsheet (you can view a template of it here) because I can drill down that deeply into my day. Similar to a Bullet Journal, what doesn’t get done on one day “migrates” to the next day (or gets saved for next month, depending on the project). The idea is that every project or work on this week-at-a-glance or specific day of the week has to work for its spot. Further, each day has a financial goal attached to it so that by week’s end, I’ll hit my financial goal. If I have a meeting out of the office that isn’t going to generate income (let’s say a networking event), that gets captured on one day but that means another day has to make up for this non-revenue-generating day.  

I’m fascinated with how people plan their days and hit their revenue goals. This format works for me but I realize this can put some people over the edge because it’s so specific. They prefer to have more fluid schedules. That’s totally fine with me – but that approach doesn’t work for me. I’m deadline-driven and goal-oriented. If I don’t have a deadline, it won’t get done. If I don’t have a goal, it’s much harder to get motivated to complete something.

Embracing Creative Pursuits

Appreciating the need to give myself more space to be creative, I’ve been intentionally seeking and embracing more opportunities to welcome creativity and the arts into my life.

As the weather improves in Chicago (thank goodness, the rain this week notwithstanding), I’m so excited to get outdoors more. I’ve signed up for a bookbinding workshop at Bari Zaki (come join me!), booked ceramics classes through the Chicago Park District, and bought tickets to see a friend’s improv show with my girlfriends. My friend Katie inspired me to take up drawing (thanks, Katie!). I’ve visited a Chicago arts shop and bought some art supplies to try some new mixed media projects. I scheduled a baby goat yoga session (don’t judge - I’ve been wanting to do this for years!).

All this to say, I’m ready to play. I’m continuing my weekly Artist Dates, which have been truly a delight to plan and do every week. I’m seeing my friends in real life more regularly, which has been a joy. I’m experimenting with new work and clients, with some surprising results. I’m working out more regularly. It’s all good.

My family and I visited London last month to spend time with friends and family. One of things on my bucket list was to go to the U.K.’s oldest bookshop named Hatchards (photo at the very top). Those who know me well know I adore book shops in every form, from old bookstores like Hatchards to Little Free Libraries. I had the pleasure of finding a darling Little Free Library in an old red phone booth! Too bad I couldn’t fit the whole booth in my suitcase. Now I want to build something like this in front of my home. Hmmm, a summer project, perhaps? Anyone want to help me build this?

CALM and Embracing my 2019 Word Of The Year

CALM: My 2019 word of the year. Photo courtesy of Gaelle Marcel for Unsplash.

December holds special meaning to me, as I think it does for most of you. It’s the end of the year and regardless of how it shaped it, we’re ready to start anew with refreshed hopes and dreams as this month comes to a close. Until then, many of us are also celebrating the holidays or spending more time with family and friends. It’s also the month I reflect on how the year has treated me and what I hope to bring more of in the coming year. A part of that is considering my word of the year: a word I’d like to help guide me and help me focus. My 2019 Word of the Year is CALM. 

The Year of Calm

I started my word of the year three years ago and I can honestly say whenever I was struggling with making a decision (do I take this assignment or client, even though the work isn’t paying me the rate I deserve?) or needed a reminder of what I was focusing on, my word of the year helped me.  

These last couple of years have also felt non-stop. Work has been (gratefully) very busy. The kids have gotten to an age where there is an increase in school workload and their afterschool activities and friends are keeping them on the go. This year, after taking classes at a local rock climbing gym, they both made the youth team which means more and longer visits to the gym as well as traveling out of state to compete.

All of this has been good, but also exhausting. This summer I started up my kickboxing after a long hiatus due to lower back pain. It felt great and then I ended up with back pain again because of the time I spent sitting in front of my computer working. Sitting for long stretches is really stupid, I knew it, and I paid the price (again). I invested in a standing computer desk, started slowly going back to the gym (no kickboxing for now) and working to get my back stronger again.  

A Reminder of What’s At Stake

Another reason for choosing CALM as my word of the year is because so much has happened and was so busy throughout these last few years I sometimes lost track of what was important or at stake. I don’t want to be busy. I want to be more mindful of the kind of work I’m doing, producing and delivering. I want to do more work that matters. Who doesn’t, right? This month I want to put my plan in place so I can go after those kinds of projects and clients. 

My 2019 Client, Writing and Project Wish List

Art, architecture and design; food, especially cheese; Chicago, Cyprus, food justice; global issues; homelessness, LGBTQ youth, mental health; non-profits (including foundations); refugees and immigrants; social justice; science, sustainability and the environment (including nature and the outdoors); teaching; travel; women’s rights; writing. In alphabetical order, these are the topics and issues that matter to me. It’s a pretty intense list but it’s also exhaustive. 

Going through this exercise, of really identifying the work you want to be doing, or the kinds of things that are important to you, helps you focus on achieving it. Several of my friends and I have been having these kinds of discussions because we’re all in positions where we learn of opportunities that may not be right for us, or don’t have the time to take on, but can recommend someone in our circle of friends. 

Can you share your list with others to help you meet your goals in the new year? What can you begin doing this month to help you jump-start the process? 

Goodbye, 2018

This year has brought so many opportunities my way. Some good, some interesting, some that didn’t turn out the way I thought they would. The great thing about using December as a year-in-review is that I can take stock of it all and re-consider what things to keep in my life, which I need to pitch or pursue, and what I need to let go so I can free up my time and mental space. Writing this blog post has helped me realize I’ve come to a decision about a project that has been taking up way more of my work time for the benefit I’m receiving, both financially and professionally. 

With four more weeks to go, I intend to soak up every last minute of 2018. The final projects of the year are on my calendar and I’m checking them off my check-list with glee. I’ve already filed some stories and completed projects with payments scheduled to hit in January and February, so that makes me happy. New journals and pens have arrived last week and I intend to put them to good use this month as I plot out my business and marketing plans. 

There are still plenty of unknowns as I enter 2019, my 12th year of my consulting practice and 25th year as a communications professional. Some clients have changed directions. Media outlets have shut down or changed editors. My byline will appear in a national consumer print magazine that has been on my wish list for years this April. 

CALM.

Invite calm. Calm down. Be calm. If I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s that things can change by the minute, literally and figuratively. Sometimes those changes are good. Sometimes not good. Regardless, changes will happen and it’s up to us to determine how to handle them and move forward. I’m ready to welcome 2019. First, let’s do this, December.