Preposition aside, this is one of those phrases that invoked a flood of thoughts in a direction VERY different from the original context. I heard this one on True Detective, the phenomenal HBO series, when Matthew McConaughey used the phrase to explain his own rather dark abilities. Wayyyyyyy different from anything I could, or would, want to write about, but inspiration is rarely linear.

Also not a new phrase obviously (it’s based on Gabrielle Hamilton’s quote), but one I was hearing for the first time, and it instantly struck a chord with me. My whole life I have tried to put myself into a position where I can negate the …ummm, less-than-optimal things about myself that I cannot seem to change. And if I’m honest, I don’t want to change some of them. We all have these character ‘flaws’, but that’s no reason they should either define us, or get in the way of our careers.

I don’t work on my weaknesses, I avoid them by focusing on my strengths.

The lucky few, the ones who knew from a very early age what they were going to be, will find the subject quote amusing or irrelevant, but for way too many us it hits close to the mark. Can you truly say that you are doing what you had intended all along, and are absolutely doing what you are on this Earth to do? No, neither can I.

A while back I postulated a theory that it’s actually OK not to have a passion in life, a true calling (nurse, fireman, teacher and so on), as long as you enjoy the things you ARE doing. These things are generally what I would call your talents. Skills can be learned, but you will only ever be REALLY good at something you have natural affinity toward. Nine times out of ten you will also enjoy doing the things at which you’re best, and avoid those you don’t do well.

Unfortunately, we rarely have the opportunity at work to completely ignore the things we don’t like, and may even end up being very good at something because a combination of our OTHER talents gives us an advantage.

For example, no-one who’s ever met me would accuse me of being a people-person, but my combined talents for simplification and strategic planning make me a very good consultant. Luckily I actually enjoy consulting, but even if I didn’t, I could very easily end up doing nothing BUT consulting for the rest my life because it provides an excellent living. Would I KEEP doing what I’m doing if I didn’t actually like it?

Probably, and that’s the point of this blog.

Now be honest with yourself, are you a) doing something you really, I mean REALLY enjoy, or are you b) doing something you found yourself fairly good at? If the answer is a), you’re in the second highest group of people in terms of living a good life. The only group slightly better off in my opinion are those making a living from their life-long passion. If the answer was b), and you only find your job tolerable, what makes you good at it? Do you know?

These are pretty much the only options open to you if you have to work, and this has nothing to do with how much/little you earn;

• Your work is your passion
• You make a living doing what you enjoy
• You make a living doing what you’re good at
• You make a living, don’t hate your job, but don’t enjoy it much either
• You make a living and hate your job

As a complete guess, I would say that 90% of us are in the last 2, and probably because we assumed early on in our lives that without a passion there’s no point in trying. A total cop-out in my opinion, as doing what you enjoy AND what you are good at, is a VERY close second. This does not even involve a title, or a field of expertise, and you are not looking for a job as a something, you are looking for a job that entails the use of as many of your talents / skills as possible, regardless of what field you end up in.

I ended up in security, not because I have any particular interest in security itself (I don’t), but security just happens to provide the perfect environment for me to fully explore the things at which I excel (relatively :).

Anyone can do this, you just have to know what you’re good at. Like ending sentences on prepositions for example.