Following your passion is a hard road. More than half the battle is finding out what the heck your passion really is! I’ve seen it so many times before, people feel they ought to know what their passion is. But behind closed doors—trust me—the majority of people have no idea. This is great news, really!

Blank slates are my favorite clients. That’s because there is humility, vulnerability, and exploration involved. And when they discover the direction they’d like to go, it’s a rewarding experience for everyone.

It’s also messy and uncertain. Which is why so many don’t allow themselves the opportunity to imagine. It all starts with your own conception work and how it defines or doesn’t define you.

Work used to be just a job.

In the previous generation (and I’m talking about the ’80s and ’90s) work was seen as separate from your life. It was something you had to do instead of what you wanted to do. This idea was not sad, but, rather, honorable. The industrial revolution gave material opportunity to many. It was an opportunity to provide a comfortable family life, which made life better. Work wasn’t about passion; it was a means to an end.

But these days work is something we should love.

Now, if you are not doing what you love, this is seemingly a problem. This generation takes for granted (for better or worse) that comfort is accessible. That box has been checked by the many that provided this comfort for their children. Millennials often get a bad wrap for this, but this is exactly what our parents dreamed of.

So now, work is radically different. It includes passion, choice, information, and grit. Living our dreams is much harder work than getting a day job! You may think it sounds like fun but living out your destiny is the hardest work we will ever face. This new generation is entering the workforce in truckloads and they don’t have an easy path ahead of them. They can no longer pat themselves on the back for just providing for the family (even though that pressure is still there). They also have the heavy burden of doing something fulfilling, too.

But what if you are mediocre?

Every single person has unique attributes that are a wild compilation of experiences, education, and choices. Thank goodness the material resources are becoming increasingly available for young people to find meaningful work, especially with the access to education on the rise. The bottom line is mediocrity is a choice, not a destination. Oh and one more thing, it’s NOT easy. It comes with self-reflection, believing in your strengths and putting them into action. It takes endurance more than talent. It takes vulnerability more than climbing the ladder. Talent is a natural gift. Endurance to believe in yourself and putting one foot in front of the other is of a different source.

The world of work is a mirror and reflects back to us what we believe our value to be. Work doesn’t give you value, rather work is a reflection of your belief system. The choice is yours. Once you decide to change your career and follow your passion, expect to work harder than you ever expected. I much prefer this concept:

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

—Confucius

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