Page 151 - Talane Miedaner - Coach Yourself to a New Career_ 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life (2010)

STEP 5: IDENTIFY YOUR PASSIONS AND VALUES 139

my own business before I could fully express my values to lead
and inspire people every day), but the important thing is to start
with whatever you can do now. Do not wait any longer. Review
your list of peak experiences in life, and see if you can put some of
those back into your life on a more regular basis.
Although the step you take here may seem small and insig-
nificant, any step that brings you closer to your values is a step
in the right direction. Also, this gesture has a way of com-
pounding quickly once you are on the right path. Even if your
particular passion doesn’t pay well, it is important that you keep
doing the things you love to do. Do not be afraid to take a regu-
lar job to pay the bills—such as most actors or artists end up
waiting tables to support themselves until they become suc-
cessful. Sometimes our passions evolve into paying careers. I
once saw some striking paintings at a friend’s house, and when
I expressed my admiration, she told me that the artist used to
work at all sorts of odd jobs (taxi driver, plumber, handyman)
to make ends meet and support his family. In his spare time he
did these unusual paintings. Now he has quite a following and
is selling his paintings for thousands of dollars as fast as he can
finish them!
And sometimes our passions never become careers. One cli-
ent, Janette, is an avid ballroom dancer and easily spends $30,000
a year on dance lessons and costumes. At first she was worried
about spending so much money on her passion for dance, until
she saw that her real estate business grew even faster. Janette gets
so much energy from dancing that she attracts much higher-level
and more profitable business deals. She has used her passion to
give her energy to do her work with greater joy and enthusiasm,
and this is vitally important in a sales business. Although Janette
has entered and won dance competitions, she does not consider
dance her profession—it is her passion.
I want to make it clear that not all people will make money
from their passions, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue
them. Do whatever you can afford to do now—it is what makes