Living the Dream (Job)

Sometimes we hear successful people in the arts say something like, “I had no idea I could actually get a job as an actor!” They’re not the only ones. There are plenty of people out there who have hobbies and passions that they never consider as a possible career–because they don’t know that their hobbies and passions can be careers. There’s a whole job market out there beyond “obvious” jobs like marketing, accounting, retail, etc.

First, take a good, hard look at your passions. Write them down. Brainstorm. Don’t be afraid. Really ask yourself that question: what would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? Perhaps you would pick big adventure or ambitious leadership. Perhaps you would opt for something simpler, more laid-back. Guess what? There’s a career for all of it.

Teaching others your passion

If you love the ocean and you spend a lot of time surfing, consider utilizing your expertise to help other surfers or newbies to the sport. If you enjoy working with other people, consider teaching surfing lessons. You can do this privately or with a company. Remember to make sure you have a liability clause and solid insurance since surfing can be dangerous. (If teaching isn’t really your thing but you love the idea of making a living around your favorite thing to do, you might want to work in a surf shop, selling boards and equipment to people in the know.)

If you’re a strong musician, consider giving lessons. If you go this route, make sure you are truly competent with your instrument and have a solid grasp of music theory. Make sure you actually enjoy working with students! Remember, many will struggle; if you’re a new teacher, you may get a lot of brand new players. Also, consider that you may have a wide range of ages and enthusiasm. You may have young kids who would rather not be there. On the other hand, you may get an adult who wants to learn a new skill who may be either open and enthusiastic or a little embarrassed. Be ready to encourage anyone.

Medicine

If you want to spend your days improving the health of others, consider the medical field. You may want to become an MD, where your expertise and efficiency can help patients get well quickly–or find the specialized help they need to literally save their life. You may want to work in nursing, where you develop personal relationships with the patients. If you work in a facility such as an oncology medical home, you work daily with patients who need both medical and emotional support. Your strength and encouragement during scary times will improve spirits of patients and their family and friends.

Animals

If you adore animals, look into studying biology or zoology and aim toward a career working hands-on with animals. There are careers at zoos and even wildlife parks that include jobs in zoos, aquariums, and wildlife parks. If you want to have hands-on time with animals, consider zookeeping or being a wildlife technician. Of course, these jobs aren’t easy, as they frequently require manual labor and sometimes around-the-clock monitoring. You don’t have to be super science-y to work at these places, either; lots of them offer tour guide positions for which you just need to be responsible and informed. You might look at being an event or volunteer coordinator or administrator. Zoos and parks need financial, human resources, and marketing professionals just like any other organization. On the other hand, you may love something as simple as household pets. Consider something like dog breeding or training. Research people or businesses who do things like this, such as this family-run company that breeds Yorkie puppies, and see if this career calls you.