Who here is doing as a profession what he really wants or is passionate about?

For 30 of the last 35 years I loved my job as a personal property appraiser, but 5 years ago it started to become obsolescent, so I must retrain. I expect to love my next job as well, as a clinical social worker, as soon as I have my degree, and for as long as I am able to work productively.

I’m not currently employed but I guess you could say I’m a full time student.
Studying Computer Science in college and can’t wait to get out into the computing world to program various things with many skilled people and travel to various countries.

My mom told me a long time ago that I first needed to figure out what I love to do, and then I needed to figure out a way to get paid for it. I’m a Photographer, and I seriously couldn’t imagine my life any other way.

Me. I work in health administration and try to provide the most people with the best possible healthcare for the least cost. This includes the underinsured, marginalized and vulnerable as well as people carrying Cadillas health insurance. I really feel like I’m making a difference and that lets me sleep well at night.

I do wish that I could also take on a creative pursuit that I could also be successful in, like photography but digital cameras and computers really make it easy for people to do well in the field, and I’d want to really stand out.

In about a month, I’ll, hopefully, be entering into the profession that I’ve dedicated my life to: law. Currently, I have the opportunity to dabble in politics by being a Field Representative for a state legislator. I’ve only sort of dedicated my life to politics (I’m enjoying it and loving it, but not sure if that’s what I want to spend my entire life doing).

I have rarely been the primary earner in my family, but I have always done what I wanted to do. It is mostly a matter of choosing between making more money doing something you don’t like, or learning to do without to do something you do like, unless you are like my husband, who is an IT professional, making really good money and doing exactly what he loves.

I operate a wine bar. I’m really good at it. Part of my job involves being social with our guests. Part of my job involves tasting and evaluating many varied wines each week. I’m extremely passionate about good, local foods and fine wines from around the world.
I love that my life has become this.

@breedmitch That’s awesome! I know exactly how you feel. I manage a gourmet food store and almost all of our food is local. I love working with people all day, learning about great food, and dealing with the challenges of operating a small business. I’m pretty young and haven’t finished college yet, so I’m grateful that I’ve already found a job where I feel fulfilled and challenged.

One of my friends does lighting and design at one of the Smithsonian museums, and she’s 22! It’s pretty amazing.

My husband was a college teacher at a small liberal arts college. He loved teaching and was very good at it. In fact, I would say he was brilliant at it. He wrote a book about teaching that was published just after he died called, “Teaching with Your Mouth Shut.” The book is timeless, and still popular after ten years.

Thanks all for the responses. You all are inspiring. I really wanna quit my current office job. My passion is to travel the world and write. How can I possibly do that?

What kind of writing do you want to do? Novels, poetry, articles? By the way, I saw the Pelican Brief a couple days ago. I like that movie!

From what I know about it, if you want to do any writing it helps to have contacts in that industry. If your current office job puts you in contact with any magazines or newspapers, even if it’s second or third-hand contact, you can start cultivating those relationships. If your boss’s friend knows someone who is an editor, ask your boss for their contact information or even an introduction. Ask people you know if they have any insights for you. Take writing classes and meet the teachers and the other students. Start building up relationships with people who may be able to help you by meeting them, talking to them, and helping them before you ask them about jobs. In the mean time, write articles or short stories and submit them to publications as a freelance writer. If you can get something published, you can use it to build up a portfolio or references. One thing that always interested me is that Neil Gaiman did journalism before he started writing books, because he knew those contacts would help him get published later on.

Basically, it’s a lot like any other kind of networking when you want to change careers. I have no clue how to become a travel writer, though.

@Haleth – thanks a lot. this is really helpful. i would like to submit my articles and short stories but i don’t know where. and yeah, pelican brief is a good book and the movie is good too. :)

@darby_shaw The thing about people following their passion is that they find their own way. Depending on how important this is to you, you can (and will) find it.

@YARNLADY – thanks a lot. that is a source of inspiration! :)

I am not doing what I want to for a living yet, which is writing short stories/novels, but I am going to school for it kind of (English degree) and I did manage to be one of four winners in a short story contest recently, so time will tell.

I am doing what I love to do. I work in the music industry, and love almost every minute of it.

@ZAGWRITER – what do you currently do? and congratulations for winning that contest! :)

@Wine3213 – i just wish i could follow my passion asap. :)

I am currently a receiving associate at a Home Depot, where I unload trucks, take freight to the floors, help customers, and serve as the whipping boy for my department head. I have been there for over eight years, my longest stint at a job by about a year or so.

thanks for the congrats @darby_shaw , I can’t believe I forgot to put that earlier.

@ZAGWRITER – you’re welcome. :-)

I am.