Quitting a good full time job to pursue something you are actually passionate in?

[LeMale]

At what point, if ever, should you put aside that passion and dream job and just take the more secure, better paying but boring and un-ambitious job?

These last couple of years have been the most miserable years of my life. The previous 5 years prior to the last couple of years were the greatest years of my life. Part of that was because I was in college for 4 of those 5 years, but a big part of it was because I held a job that was an amazing job that I was passionate about. After college I spent a year as an intern..and very unique internship. Something I dreamed of since I was a little kid. Never in a million years did I think I would actually get this opportunity. Anyways, it lasted a year...as expected. But that plan was then to jump to another organization and do the same thing. Things fell through and fast forward a year and a half, I was back living with the parents and was unemployed for that entire 18 or so months. I was desperate, but I still was pursuing that career. It was going to be a low paying and long hours type of career, but I just couldn't see myself doing anything else...I still don't. Not a single thing in life makes sense to me other than this career field and my passion for it. But it was a miserable time during those 18+ months of unemployment. I was desperate. Then my buddy gave me a call and offered me a job here in my hometown. I already made up my mind that I was going to pursue my dream. But I just couldn't turn down this job. It is what I majored in, in college (the job i held in college and the relating internship I held after college had nothing to do with what I majored in, in college. It was a unique job that didn't have an area of study assigned to it)

Anyways, I majored in accounting and my buddy got his boss to hire me as an accountant for their private company. Right now it isn't paying great because I am new. But long term wise it can be a great career long position with a lot of upside. I have been doing good, I don't hate the job. But there is no passion. And I feel that is ultimately going to hurt me and prevent me from doing well and earning promotions through my career. It has its advantages that the other career sucked at. It is a 8-5 monday through friday job. The career I am passionate about is a 6-7 days a week, 10+ hours a day and sometimes longer. That internship I held was about 16-18 hours a day 7 days a week. But the most amazing time of my life.

What do I do? Should I just bite my lip, keep doing this numbers crunching job, make decent to good money, have the weekends fee and find passion in something outside of work? Or quite and take an offer I have on the table to get back into the career I am really passionate about? This job offer probably wouldn't be formally offered until January. So I do have time. But I would rather start this discussion now rather than in January when I have a day or two to decide.

I can provide more information upon request. Just didn't want to write too long of an opening post and give you guys a headache. Anybody with experience with this or have been in this situation?

Thanks.

 

[hawgsquatch]

I was a timber-faller, fishing guide, commercial fisherman, mechanic, and a sales manager for a rather large international company before settling into the public service position I have now. All of the jobs before had adventure, travel, and sometimes passion. Additionally, some of them gave me a great feeling of worth and productivity. What they did not give me was financial stability and health insurance for my children. Is being a piece in the machinery of the criminal justice system fantastic....nope. But it has it's rewards, one of the best of which is the confidence that unless I really screw up and do something criminally stupid, I will always have a job. That being said, I have always wanted to be an educator and I am taking advantage of my hours and shifts to go to college and make that happen. I will retire from this at age 50. That is young enough to start a new career as a teacher. If you are single and young, I say follow your heart. Just remember that nothing is so heartbreaking as having a sick child and no insurance. My kids ended my adventuring and opened a wonderful new world of fatherhood that I would not trade for anything. I hope this helps, good luck.

I would also warn you about trying to mix work and passion. I love fishing, I go every week, but being a guide nearly ruined it for me. There are still places I won't fish because the memories of monster clients and stingy employers have soured them. I also know men who love their work so much, they would do it for free if they did not get paid. I guess it is all relative.

 

[shavefreak]

The career I am passionate about is a 6-7 days a week, 10+ hours a day and sometimes longer. That internship I held was about 16-18 hours a day 7 days a weekyou. But the most amazing time of my life.
Thanks.

That is a lot of time and no matter what you go after working that hard and can take it's toll. Even 5-10 years it can hit you and the passion can fade. Without knowing the job you would have to look at the people you are working with. Are the higher ups making a living, can you get there? Are there other opportunities? Can you teach or earn extra money within the fied?. If it is like a missionary job helping people for nothing and you don't have a materialistic kind of life you could possibly run travel expeditions to remote areas for extra money, search for grants. Look to who is at the top of the field is there money to be made and can you get there. Getting a mentor who is where you want to be can help. they need to be successful and not threatened usually.

If possible another consideration would be to look at getting your own accounting side biz going while doing what you want. Register a name get insurance and slowly build your own thing. You can get paid better and do less work hand picking your jobs and build something you might be able to sell one day. Although there does not seem like a lot of time for it, a few clients and the referals will come and you could outsource others and supervise while pursuing what you want. There is always a way. When you have nothing now is the time to take risks. No wife, no kids go for it, fail and learn and keep at it.

You have to believe in yourself but also have to have something special and having a way with people which comes from sincerity to help them. I started my business with talent I knew I had inside but not one client but I knew they would come. I turned down good offers working for other business's passing on instant money in my pocket for bigger money later, always, always look to the future.

Five years later I just bought my first luxury car, I buy expensive razors for my collection and although I do not consider myself materialistic the stuff I do buy has to be quality and is usually nice because I can. If I need something I don't need to budget and think about it and that is a nice feeling. Doing your own thing, your own business is more rewarding. Having 5 accounting clients that are yours will still feel better than working at a firm.

 

[auk1124]

You can passionately starve in Mom's basement, or waste your life in a boring career that gives you the opportunity to raise a family securely.

IMO, I'd go for the boring career and concentrate on either providing for an existing family if you already have one, or saving up to do so in the future.

 

[keithmax]

Follow your passion. If your passionate about your work you a better job, which in the end will lead you to earn enough money. The goal in life is to be happy. Don't quit your current job but look for the job that fulfills you.

 

[legrandfromage]

An awfully difficult question to answer; very personal and way too many variables. I have been retired for about seven years, after a forty year career in mostly the same industry. I changed jobs a few times, was unemployed several times due to corporate reorgs and such, and held a variety of positions while picking up a lot of specialized knowledge/skills, along with increased responsibilities. Sometimes I liked and enjoyed what I was doing and sometimes I hated it. Over time, I learned to work it in ways that it became more interesting aand pleasurable for me, while doing what I had to do. There was always something that I was interested in, that at the time, would have been more appealing as a job; better as a career, who knows? You have to be careful and aware not to constantly imagine doing some other thing that might not be available or practical; it taints what you are doing. The old saw "the grass is always greener..", is generally pretty accurate.

 

[SIG9]

There's some good advice here.

I love photography. I mean really passionate about it. But when I started shooting wedding as more than a hobby, it quickly became "work" and the passion faded.

Boring and stable has its place when trying to support a family. Having said that, if you're young and unencumbered follow your dreams and chase your hopes. You don't know where they may lead. However, eventually you'll have to settle down and for many that means stable and boring.

something else to consider... 16hr days and working 6-7 days a week does not lend itself to a happy wife and involved father. Balance is the key.

 

[Phog Allen]

Let me approach this from another angle. From the sounds of your recent activities you are likely in your early to mid twenties. Yes/no? Just guessing by the typical demographic of college students. If so this applies doubly. If not, well then, other considerations apply. Don't take any of this as harping by an older guy looking down his nose.

First, if you are twenty something, then congratulations on having a passionate ideal driving you. I know it is supposed to be this way but I hadn't a clue what I really wanted to do at at that age. Still don't most of the time. I work through life as it comes. Steady job, decent pay(not really for what I do but it is steady) and pretty good benefits.

Second, if you are in your twenties then you may have some unrealistic expectations of what you may need to deal with in the next ten years or so. There is this big creature out there called LIFE. It demands and gets things from you you never knew existed or you had. Whether you can afford to or want to. Part of that is usually suffering through jobs you really don't want to do. Again, this is not lecturing. Just reality. Are you married or planning to in the near future? What if a little bundle of joy comes along? The latter changes everything whether you think it will or not. From the sounds of it you don't mind working and that is a big plus.

I agree with the admonition to be cautious with passion. Channeled correctly it can be marvelous. As mentioned it can also lead to burnout at a very young age. There are other things to consider as well. My faith influences a lot of my perspective about what "I" want to do anymore. These are tangibles that must be considered.

Speaking from a purely secular, job oriented perspective I have come to a conclusion. There are really only two types of people; Those who live for their job and those have their job so they can live. I am solidly in the latter category. There is a certain proverb that covers the first category; Choose a job you love and you will never work a day in your life. There is also a certain quote from Dean Martin I see from time to time here that kind of covers the latter category. I don't want to be a millionaire, I just want to live like one. That's me but not in the sense of money mongering. More like freedom to do some things other than daily work routine. Whether I had money or not, the ability to say, take a half year and walk the Holy lands. Maybe visit Ireland and walk or bicycle everywhere. Broke as a dustman like as not but free to do it. You sound as if you may be in the first category but again, weigh this carefully as you move ahead. Burn out is a real issue and has led many to early grey hair. I am sorry I could not give you a great answer here but there really isn't an easy answer to this. What you are describing is a possible choice that could affect you for decades. So choose carefully Padawan.

Cheers, Todd

PS As for that old Confucious proverb about not working a day in your life if you love your job. It does not take into account time and circumstance. I agree with SIG9. For me, turning anything I love into a job would likely ruin it for me. Selfish really and something I deal with from a faith perspective constantly but there it is.

 

[Warhorse]

Wow...there is some great advice in this thread. Something that I'll just throw out there.....people and priorities change. What may be a fulfilling and passionate job now may not be what sparks your fire 5, 10, 15 years down the road. I've been in the military for 19 years. It started as a lark, figuring I'll do a couple year hitch and move on with some experiences. Then it became something that I loved to do and there was nothing more satisfying than work with and teaching young Soldiers. Not to sound narcisstic, but I excelled and have gone much farther than I thought I would. Now that I'm about to hit 20 years and can retire I'm beginning to have that internal dialogue...do I stay in or get out and do something else. I have a daughter that will start college in 2 years and I don't want her to have to pay for it like I did......do I step away from a career that is solid and has job security, or do I hang in there, even though "the passion" isn't really there anymore, and try something new at a time that I need the most financial security? Some tough questions and much different from your situation, but we will all face them at one time or another.
The things that you seem to have going for you are that you have a safety net (parents - and there's nothing wrong with that....that's what parents are for) and you seem unencumbered by familial responsibilities (finances). Maybe this isn't the case. Anyway, the opportunity exists when you are young to try stuff and bounce back if it doesn't work out (you've always got the accounting job skill and experience to fall back on) that may not be the case later in life when wife, children, and other responsiblities that we accrue over the years.

Just my .02 for consideration. Ultimately the choice is yours and you are the only one that can make it. Best of luck in your decision and future.

 

[martym]

Money isn't everything but it sure makes life easier.
if you are by yourself with no wife and kids, go for it and see if it is what you want. Because you won't have a family with that type of career. If you go into it with that understanding, you will do just fine until you decide it is time to "settle down".
If you already have a family, that was your decision and now you must "cowboy up" and make them your passion.
Sounds scary doesn't it.

 

[Warhorse]

Addendum - a late breaking thought

I know people that have been able to channel their passions into a hobby or even a second job (especially when young and unencumbered) and these are some of the happiest people I've ever met. A foot in both worlds, you might say. Don't know if this is an option, but figured I'd thrown it out there.

 

[Haggises]

It would be more convincing if you could bring yourself to tell us what this passion is.....

Nevertheless, if you don't have a family to support and want to wait to have kids a bit later in life, follow your loves now while you still can.

 

[KW Driver]

you will never have as much leeway and freedom to choose as you do now. I'd prefer to live without regrets. safe? safe is for the timid (within limits; yes, as personal responsibilities increase, so do responsible, more conservative choices). you have a marketable skill to fall back onto if needed. get your CPA before January if you don't have it yet. a ****ty thing to do would be to see if your employer can pick up the tab on it, then bounce to the dream job. or, stay there, as they give you time to prep/take/pass the CPA.

I pretty much mirror what Warhorse said. I always swore I'd walk as soon as this thing I do quit being fun. I love the work, when I get to do it, and put up with all the extraneous crap to put in the work. By my standard, I should have walked at 15 yrs. 15-18 was rough. But I have kids, I’m institutionalized to a degree (I know the system, I’m higher than lower in the system, and it’s easy to do), and it’d be pretty silly to walk away from a retirement check. But this is definitely a young man’s game, and I have the aches, pains, and scars to prove it. So I’m now sitting at 21, will do one more year for the bump in the retirement, and have to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

A 10-16hr, 6-7 day a week schedule will grind on anyone, eventually. It will cause burnout. So have a plan. As others said, a wife and kid won’t put up with that for long, especially with altruistic pay as a benefit of you being gone. That’s how I got divorced. I was gone a lot, and not payed too well. I was wore slap out when I was home. But I loved my job. My needs were being met, but momma’s weren’t. It wasn’t a good balance. You have to choose what’s right for you, at what cost.

And at the end of the day, you only live once, and each year goes faster than the last. Make it count, by whatever measurement system you want to use.

 

[LeMale]

Hey thanks all for the amazing responses. I read through all of them careful. A lot of great insights and advice. I am in my late 20's. I am sure most of you are much older than me and wiser. So I don't take any of these responses and belittling or lecturing. I admire straightforwardness and honesty. So gaining perspective from others advice and life lessons is what I am going for, whether it is what I want to hear or not. Not on here to have someone agree with me or flatter me. I am 50/50 standing on each side of the line on this choice and I made this thread to hear from both sides.

I always get nervous about telling the internet community about the jobs I held. They are easily traceable and you always have to be careful about that. Also before I explain this passion, it isn't something I can do on the side as a hobby like photography, and my current career isn't something I could do on the side if I were to leave and pursue my passion. I have to be 100% all-in and devoted to it.

The job I help was in the NFL. Yes it involved 16-18+ hours a day, 7 days a week between July and January. Then it turned in a 9-4ish during the other months. But being a part of an NFL team, running practice, interacting with the players, traveling, being on the sidelines during games was something that was so high that even my wildest dreams couldn't reach. Not all of us get to have our dreams come true, I am fortunate about this experience, but I guess it lasting only 1 year out of my long life is better than none, right? And prior to being on the NFL team, I held the same position but with the University I was attending. It was considerably less hours. Partly that was because I was a student. But even my boss and the other supervisors didn't have the work schedule like the NFL. There was no need for it. For them it was like a 9-6ish type of job..depending on when practice got out. And then of course games on saturdays and traveling. But the workload at the D1 university was probably half of what it is in the NFL. I am passionate about both levels. The college level would definitely be something that your body and mind can handle as a career than the NFL. But the NFL had it's payoffs. And because of what my specific job was, the players treat you amazingly. And plus as a child, like every other child, I dreamed of making it to the NFL. Of course at that age I was looking at it as a player. Of course reality hit me in high school and I easily moved on. But never did I think I would actually make it. So for it to only last for 1 year haunts me more so than humbles me. For me it is hard to look back on those amazing memories and experiences because it is something I miss so much.

And to give you a perspective into my personal life, like I said, I am in my late 20's. Never had a Girlfriend. I am an introvert in the social setting. It is just who I am. Nothing I can change. I am a man of few words and live to much in my head. As much as I want a family in the future, I honestly just don't see it happening. I am just not good at that. So with that, I would rather do something I absolutely love and keeps me busy then work a 8-5 corporate job for the next 30-40 years. But then again, you never know? Someone might come along, then what would I do?

Also, I appreciate some of you bring religion and faith into this. That doesn't bother me one bit. It is something you are devoted to and use it as a tool to help with life. But I am not a religious person. I don't believe there is a God. I use to. I was baptized Catholic, and went to a Catholic school all the way up through High School. So I know a thing or two. But over these years a lot of things got put into perspective for me. I am a factual person who believes only what can be proven. But, while I was believer and practicing, I undoubtly believed in complete free will. I did not believe God had our life mapped out. Did not believe that things happen for a reason. I believed, and still do, that who we are today was by our own actions/decisions, the people we surrounded us with. And what we do tomorrow or what we become down the road is a result of our own actions, mindset and decisions. So with that, it makes this decisions a lot harder. If I was religious and solely believed that things happen for a reason and that God has a plan for us all, then I would just pack my bags and do what I passionately love and not worry about financial security or tomorrow. Also, I wouldnt consider myself an Atheist. I do believe that there is something after life on this earth. I do not believe that we will just cease to exist. I mean it is plausible and highly likely, but I just believe that something more. But not in a religious sense. Doesn't have to be.

Anyways, I don't mean to turn this into a religion discussion or debate. Those of you who are religious and refer to it in your responses. It doesn't bother me. I respect everybody's beliefs. I don't believe it is my position to convince people or shoot them down.

Oh and I of course wouldn't just quite this job and then start searching for a job in that career field I am passionate about. I would wait until I have an offer on the table. And it is likely to come around January/February. It is a college job, not NFL. So the hours aren't as severe lol.

 

[shavefreak]

Well you have some advantages, off the top of my head what if you started a blog and made some behind the scenes videos for team fans, Like quick clips and a short paragraph every day with even a cell phone photo at practice, on the bus, where they had dinner, a behind the scenes access deal or something. Update on an injury, so and so worked on passing today and looks super sharp, Maybe sell some team merchandise on blog ads and get a cut?, the networks might use a clip some day.

Being so good at what you do that the team will have a hard time replacing you is the first step. The more respect they have for you the more options you could present. Giving the fans a look they never get would sell tickets and can only be good for the team and might get you something at some point.

How about clinics/workshops for guys that want to do what you do? How to handle the celebrity players, what coaches expect, you could run your own camp, "breaking in to the NFL support staff" Maybe write a book about players with cool stories and coaches. E books on amazon can sell big, no need for a publisher.

Pursue your passion with thoughts of expanding what may seem limiting to you with thinking outside the box and be open for an opportunity. Being the best at what you do is the first step though. A lot of money in the NFL there might be a side support business you could come up with for teams, look for needs that help players of coaches or support staff. Could be a simple as IT calendar syncing all players and coaches phones and email, bulk text messaging, I am sure all that stuff is there but who set it all up and updates? that guy is needed.

 

[ksb63]

My suite mate at college had worked for a pro franchise for a few years before coming back to work on his PhD in .... ology. He really wanted to go back but finally found a girl friend and decided 8-5 wasn't so bad and while not as exciting he has developed a few hobbies and one is actually paying the bills. He keeps the 8-5 for insurance and retirement.

 

[LeMale]

Well you have some advantages, off the top of my head what if you started a blog and made some behind the scenes videos for team fans, Like quick clips and a short paragraph every day with even a cell phone photo at practice, on the bus, where they had dinner, a behind the scenes access deal or something. Update on an injury, so and so worked on passing today and looks super sharp, Maybe sell some team merchandise on blog ads and get a cut?, the networks might use a clip some day.

Being so good at what you do that the team will have a hard time replacing you is the first step. The more respect they have for you the more options you could present. Giving the fans a look they never get would sell tickets and can only be good for the team and might get you something at some point.

How about clinics/workshops for guys that want to do what you do? How to handle the celebrity players, what coaches expect, you could run your own camp, "breaking in to the NFL support staff" Maybe write a book about players with cool stories and coaches. E books on amazon can sell big, no need for a publisher.

Pursue your passion with thoughts of expanding what may seem limiting to you with thinking outside the box and be open for an opportunity. Being the best at what you do is the first step though. A lot of money in the NFL there might be a side support business you could come up with for teams, look for needs that help players of coaches or support staff. Could be a simple as IT calendar syncing all players and coaches phones and email, bulk text messaging, I am sure all that stuff is there but who set it all up and updates? that guy is needed.

Well, first off, that isn't the job I hold now, it is the job that I held for a year a couple years ago. Secondly, if I did any of those of which you listed, I would have been fired. You just can't do that type of stuff. What you see, do and hear can't be repeated or revealed to the outside world. I wasn't a media guy or desk worker who interviewed players or uploaded pics to the team site or put together the media guide or daily articles. My office was the locker room. I was in the locker room more than the players were. So all those things you listed were great ideas, but that isn't my position and isn't allowed under my position. That is something a media personnel would do. And they aren't part of the inner circle of secret info like potential trades, signings, guys we brought in for workouts, plays we are working on..anything that can accidentally be revealed and used by the opponent to give them an upper head. You'd be surprised closed knit professional sports are. When you watch ESPN and all those news channels. Their stories are mostly just hunches and assumptions or leads that an "Inside source" hinted. If I blogged about anything, or posted any type of information on the internet or to anyone outside, I would have been fired. They were even skiddish of us putting that team as our employer and what our job title was. So, like I said, this isn't a job that I can do a side job on the side or freelance. A lot of the stuff you explained is IT and Media personnel duties. Not my job and not my passion.

 

[Bcobu1102]

In my experience, passion can be translated to anything. Find passion in what you do no matter what and don't dwell on the past.

 

[Haggises]

Go for it. You're young enough that you can change if it doesn't work out. And too young to be regretting career choices.
While you're right in not being able to do any of those things Shavefreak said, he's right in a way- be able to branch out. Don't be stuck in the locker room. Many GMs of NFL reams never played a lick, never coached, but worked up inside the organization
Good luck.

 

[oakeshott]

OP,
My frame of reference is that of a 52 year old who's had a fair amount of variety in his career. I love my job and enjoy the work and technology, but it's not a passion and were I financially able to do it, could retire and be busy and happy.

That said, you're young and single and THIS is the time to take risks and found out what you're capable of achieving. I'm familiar with the NFL as a key customer of mine for years and still know people there. It's not a perfect organization, but if you're a football enthusiast, then it's ground zero and you should give it a shot. At some point you may meet that woman who becomes a more important passion and children who will consume your life in a way football never can, but for now?? take risks and get messy.