Are you doing it for the sake of doing it, or do it for the sake of loving it?

Although they sound similar, each carries a very different weight and effect. A good example is one given by Seth Godin, where 2 lemonade stalls have different results due to the way they approach the business – 1 a passionate girl taking her own sweet time making the lemonades using the traditional way, and the other 2 kids producing lemonades just like how everyone else does it – The lesson from two lemonade stands.

So if you truly love what you are doing, you will take your own sweet time doing it and at the same time, enjoying every moment while you’re at it. The result? Yes, you will definitely produce lesser than the 2 kids, but each lemonade you produce will be of the top quality – full of passion and feels authentic. And this also gives your client the feeling that you are sincere in selling whatever you are selling, and that you are not trying to rip the person off. Enjoying the moment, producing remarkable results and having happy customers. What can be better than this?

Of course all these things sound easier said than done and most often than not, we are left with no choice but to do what we are paid to do. How many times have you seen an unhappy person saying “no choice, I have to work”? I think more than 50% of the total population would say that!

I can’t say I have a solution because the fact is, we do have to survive and by that I mean we have to earn enough money to support ourselves and our family – and all our other commitments (houses, cars, etc). But do we want to spend the rest of our life being in this state? Do we want to continue to work on something we hate for the rest of our life just for the sake of doing it? Of course not !

If that’s the case, why not consider making a change? If you can’t change your day job, then you can always find a part-time job which gives you more satisfaction. Or if you have no time for it, find some hobbies to do or just find some time to do whatever you love to do. If that means waking up 30 min or 1 hour earlier every day, so be it. You need something to get you moving and this could be it. Who knows, maybe 1 day, you can make a living by doing what you really love to do. I’ve seen some people becoming pretty successful in that and I believe it CAN happen.

If everything above is still not possible, then there’s only 1 thing left to do. Change your mindset. True, your job may not be the best in the world (trust me, most people would say their jobs are not the best jobs in the world) and you might hate it a lot. But well, the good news is, it’s not the best but it’s not the worst as well. There are still some goods left in any jobs, and I believe each of us has the ability to make the most out of any situation. Think about all the positive things from your job, your workplace, your colleagues, bosses, etc. LEARN to love your current job. Remember, at least, you still have a job.

At the end of the day, it’s all about making a change, be it to the things that are happening to us or to our own mindset (which also means adaptation). So start thinking whether you are doing whatever you are doing now for the sake of doing it….or are you doing it for the sake of loving it? If it’s the former, maybe it’s time for a change?

If it’s the latter, congratulations. Enjoy the moment !