May 14, 2009
I remember sitting in the yellow lighted room with its slightly grungy feel as my high school councilor came in. I'm filled with anxiety because I'm at that age, 17, when I'm supposed to know what to do with my life and I have no idea. I don't even really know what to say. At this point in my life I have a hard time justifying even attending school. Thinking about my future seems like a task beyond my capabilities. I will never forget that feeling.
When she starts asking me what I want to do and become, I lie. I tell her the lie that I know what she wants to hear. "I want to go to college and be a history teacher." She easily and effortless gives me the advice that I'm sure she has giving thousands of students over the years. Take these classes, keep your GPA up, start taking SAT test classes, and be well rounded. While I half listen I'm stuck by the absurdity of what she is doing. Why the hell should I listen to her? What has she done and accomplished that would make her council sound?
Of course I smile and thank her as I leave and I enroll in the classes she recommends. I never went to college and I barely graduated from high school. Everyone I knew who had gone to college wasn't making the money I wanted to make and they weren't living the life I wanted to live. Old habits die hard though and for the next 6 years I wander though life trying to find my place. I joined the Navy, got out, attempted college, worked as a cook, and finally as a baker at Safeway. The entire time I know what I'm doing is wrong and won't get me to where I want to go but this doesn't stop me from running full speed to try and get there.
Then 3 days before I was married, it struck me. Everything I had been told was a lie. I'm not supposed to try and find my passion. A good job with benefits isn't the safest bet. Most importantly, you don't need to like what you do. There is a difference between being efficient and being effective. You can accomplish tasks efficiently that are not effective in reaching your goals.
From that point on I became obsessed with being effective. I would seek out things that nobody else would do and I would work hard to be effective. Often I didn't like what I was doing but I loved the results I achieved. Much of this is still true today. It isn't easy running a real estate business in Detroit and many times I do work I don't enjoy. But my work helps investors around the world achieve the returns they need to retire in comfort. I provide jobs that are sorely needed in Detroit and the people employed (formerly incarcerated individuals) get a second chance at life. I use a local nonprofit, Motor City Blight Busters to do the rehabs, benefiting the local community as their profits are reinvested.
The results I achieve and the difference I make in the city of Detroit make all the work I dislike worthwhile. I realize this is contrarian and against most sound advice. I say forget trying to find your passion. Instead, focus on the results you want. Find a difficult problem and pursue the solution with relentless passion, doing the work that few like. Your results will make all of the difficult work you do seem fun and you will be making a difference.v
I can't think of a better time in American history too question all of our beliefs and test them for effectiveness. Your boss and your government are certainly not the security you need in these times.
Watch this clip on TED and make a commitment to quit being efficient and start being effect. It's never too late to make a difference.
Make your life uncomfortable,
Jeremy Burgess
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