Writers 
Doing What You Love for a Living
What were your dreams when you were a child?
Did you dream of being a heroic firefighter?
A famous singer? President of Nigeria?
What happened to those dreams? If you’ are like most people, you were told how unrealistic your dreams were and you were encouraged to be more practical. “Get a real job” is the phrase many of us heard from parents, teachers and other authority figures in our lives.
If you have buried those long ago dreams so deeply in your subconscious mind that you can no longer even remember them, don’t despair! A little introspection can help bring them to the surface, but even if they remain hidden, there is one important thing to remember:
You are not the same person now that you were back then!
While it is possible to rekindle a dream you have held since childhood, you do not have to. Instead, let new dreams make themselves known to you. Ask yourself what type of work would make you feel most fulfilled. Ask yourself how you can best make a contribution to the world by doing something you truly love.
It sounds simple in theory, but how do you start? Many of us have fallen completely out of touch with our passions. We’re so focused on the things we HAVE to do that we have no time for play or exploration.
I’m going to be blunt with you: there is no other alternative but to MAKE time. Set aside some time to really get to know yourself. Figure out what you like to do, or explore new activities so you can decide whether they might be one of your true passions. You don’t have to devote dozens of hours to this, perhaps start with 30-60 minutes a day. Identifying and Nurturing Your Talents
A good place to start is by gaining a clear idea of your skills and talents. Make a list of the things you are naturally good at, as well as the things you have become good at through repetitive effort. Write down the skills you use in your job, the things you learned in school, and the things you enjoy doing in your spare time.
When you’ve listed everything you can, look over your list and consider whether any of these skills and talents might be marketable. How can you use your talents to provide something of value to others?
Take your time with this exercise.
Seriously, don’t rush through it. You’re trying to get an idea of the work that would make you feel passionate and fulfilled, therefore it deserves your undivided attention.
This exercise is also important for another reason. Your dream is NOT just about you.
It is about all the lives you will touch when you do what you were meant to do on this planet. It took me a long time to understand that by holding myself back I was denying others something special I had to share with them. And I don’t mean that as a boast.
We are each special and unique, and we each have something to offer this world that no one else does. By denying our own talents, we deny others the gift of what we have to share.
