Have you seen the commercial for retirement savings that asks people if they could be paid to do what they love, what would they do? People of all ages give creative, inspiring and sometimes funny answers. The commercial poses the question isn’t that what retirement is supposed to be? Then they go on to try to sell you their particular product for saving for retirement. The product isn’t what caught my eye. It was the question.
Now don’t get me wrong. I believe in planning for retirement. Mine isn’t as far away as it used to be, and the economy has done the same thing to MY retirement planning as it probably has to most of yours. However, what if we didn’t wait until retirement to do what we love?
“Wait a minute! What kind of crazy is that,” you say, “to assume that I could be a mountain climber or a mystery writer or a pie baker while I have a family to support and a business to run and my children’s college education to fund?” I’m not advocating selling the farm, so to speak, and going off to chase a dream. But what would happen to the family that you have to support and the business you run and the college fund if you looked at what you love to do, and incorporated the passion you have for mountain climbing into what you do on a daily or weekly basis? What is it about mountain climbing that excites you? The challenge? The teamwork and strategic planning it takes to tackle a challenging climb? The view from the top? The feeling that courses through your body as you know that you gave every ounce of energy you had to achieve this goal?
If I could be paid to do what I love, I would sell real estate and help others build their real estate businesses. Not because I want to line my pocket or because I enjoy wading through red tape or staying up late to sort out the details of a counter offer. I love working with people and watching them make their dreams come true. Whether it is handing the keys to a first-time-homebuyer who never thought she could purchase her own home or sitting with a new agent and watching him close his first deal, working with people is what I love. When I retire, maybe I’ll volunteer as a mentor in the school down the street or run a program at the local senior center, but for now, I’ll take my passion for people and pour that into my business.
Whatever it is that drew you to what you do, take a minute and ask yourself: If I could get paid to do what I love, what would I do? Then ask yourself, what ONE thing I can do to bring that into what I do TODAY.
Then don't just ask the question. Do it!
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