Pay to Play

It's a remarkable thing to hit our stride. There we are, walking along and suddenly realize it's just the right weather, just the right gait, we've got what it takes, we're alive and on the move. Wow, what a rush.

I think most of us operate on a level just below that, where we make out pretty well by filling our days with the skills we've got. Not all are fortunate enough to intertwine our jobs and our passions, so we infuse our private lives with meaning: we're athletes or artists or volunteers, spiritualists, or musicians. Separateness is a part of life we've come to accept because that's just how it is.

I was recently advised that in order to find true happiness, we need to narrow the gap between what we do and who we are. Sounds simple enough. What do you think it would feel like to be paid to play?

Why it would be grand, I say! Imagine operating in an environment that draws from us exactly what we are suited to do. Look at how we'd move seamlessly from thing to thing, never again having to fight that uphill battle as we transition. We'd hop out of bed in the morning and race in, so excited were we to have another day to give it our all. Why, we might even have to stop calling it work!

(Smile)

It wouldn't be like that, of course. Even in a perfect hand to glove world, problems would arise. Narrowing the gap between our careers and our passions wouldn't eliminate obstacles or peril because in life not everyone wins. As hard as we work at the things that bring us joy, artists cannot always produce the beautiful piece they envision, nurses lose patients, and comedians are not always funny.

But it would shift us into high gear, energize our attitude and tap into our natural talents and instincts. It would add spring to our step, because loving what we do always does that. We would have a deeper sense of satisfaction in ourselves and our contributions. It's a win-win.

NMcC