In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love.
Do what you love
If these four simple words sound like the advice your parents dished out back in high school or college, it’s because it is. In today’s world, “doing what you love” has become universal. The real question is, are you living it?
Pursuing what you love might sound like a breeze for billionaires. After all, they’ve got the resources to spend their time however they please. But, before Buffett started jockeying for the title of one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet, he was still chasing his passions.
During his famous 1998 speech at the University of Florida, Buffett expanded on this idea when he said:
“I get to work in a job that I love, but I have always worked at a job that I loved. I loved it just as much when I thought it was a big deal to make $1,000. I urge you to work in jobs that you love.
If the wisdom of Buffett isn’t enough to grab your attention, consider that the late Steve Jobs lived by the same philosophy, also expressed in four simple words.
Find what you love
As he shared in his commencement speech to Stanford’s Class of 2005, it wasn’t always a walk in the park. Jobs went on to establish Apple, but things didn’t go smoothly early on, and he was eventually pushed out of his own company. Without his passion, he might not have bounced back. In his words, “I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love… Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.”
To pursue your calling with full intention, refrain from being disheartened because it is bound to happen; you may be tempted to give up and give in to the 9-5 corporate grind.
If finding what you love is trickier than anticipated, Jobs encourages you to believe it’ll be worth the wait. From his commencement speech:
If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it.
To put it simply, don’t settle.
This article was originally published in the original United States edition of Inc. or on inc.com and is the copyright property of Mansueto Ventures LLC, which reserves all rights. Copyright © Mansueto Ventures LLC.
Written on: Oct 19, 2023
