The Paper Chase

I wrote an English paper some time ago, in it I discussed our social conditioning to go to school, get a job, get married, buy a house, have some kids, live happily ever after and [have our kids repeat.] I focused less on achieving the American Dream and more on getting a job and trading our time for money. The problem, at least I believed was our focus on finding jobs that would presumably provide us with a high income affording us the opportunity to take care of our family. My thoughts were confirmed during a brief conversation with a coworker.

C.R.E.A.M.

I didn’t vary from the script after viewing a coworker's transcripts, I congratulated them on a job well done. I asked what I thought would be easy follow-up questions;  What are you studying, how much longer before you’re finished, but when I asked what they wanted to do with their degree, they became confused and started mumbling something as if they were accepting an award “I want to thank God for this opportunity and the makers of Starbucks coffee …” I thought back to that paper and how we equate making loads of cash with being happy. The opposite tends to happen, we achieve a decent salary but are often dissatisfied. Poor work life balance and/or the job itself doesn’t satisfy us.

“What we believe about the relationship between money and happiness may be misguided.”

Saying you are happy is not the same as being happy.

My thoughts are always confirmed during conversations with The Future about ends.

Passion

I didn’t vary from the script after another conversation about what we can do to make money. I provided praise for her ability to build businesses that generate money, overcome obstacles and move on to the next when one stops being profitable but [there is always a but] none of the work has been enjoyable. I counter with what is it that we can do that makes us the happiest, what can we do that provides us the strongest sense of peace. Instead of having something you love to do [to be happy], and then work you have to do [to get a check], the chase should be about making these things one and the same.

Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for the voice that calls you.

Follow your passion.

I Am.