Find a Job You Love: 4 Steps to Pursue Your Passion

What did you want to be when you grew up?

According to a 2021 survey, less than half of American adults are working in the field they dreamed about as kids.

Even if you did grow up to “live the dream,” you might have found it’s not as glamorous as you’d imagined. There’s a special kind of dread that comes with investing years into pursuing a dream career only to wake up and realize it’s making you miserable.

Just remember this: whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.

Whether you’re stuck in an unsatisfying job because it was a “safe” choice or because it was a dream you outgrew, you don’t have to stay there.

Changing your life is entirely in your power.

How to find a job you love

Once you’ve decided to take the first step and pursue your passion, do some soul searching to figure out what you really want to do next.

1. Remember what you love. What do you really love to do? You may enjoy making people feel beautiful or helping them get healthy. Maybe you could talk all day about pets. Maybe fixing broken things is your zen. Think about your interests without trying to label them with career choices.
2. Poll your friends. Sometimes we have blind spots when it comes to our own joy. Ask your friends and family what they think you do well and when they’ve seen you at your happiest.
3. Picture your ideal work environment. Where do you feel happy and productive? For some people, it might be in a quiet office, while others prefer the bustle of a busy restaurant. Or maybe you like the idea of being a nomad, traveling from one job site to the next.
4. Talk to a professional. Once you have an idea of how you would like to spend your time, narrow down your options with some professional advice. Sit down with someone like a franchise consultant or career counselor who can help you match your interests and skills with a job you’ll enjoy that offers the income your lifestyle requires.

Should I start my own business?

Starting your own business is an amazing, life-altering experience – and it’s not the best choice for everybody.

It is, however, a great choice for some. More than 2 million new businesses are started in the US every year. If you have business management skills and you’ve been chafing under the leash of being someone else’s employee, it might be time to be your own boss.

Many of the risks of business ownership can be offset by starting with a franchise model. Franchise owners have the best of both worlds – the independence of owning a business and the safety of a business model that’s already built and proven profitable.

Franchising creates a built-in support system to help with everything from how to run the business to how to bring in customers to, sometimes, financing to get the business off the ground.

A franchise consultant is your best resource when sorting out your options. These professionals know the ins and outs of hundreds of different franchises and can help you find one that fits your unique needs. They also know what it takes to succeed, and can give you an honest assessment if the business owner's life is likely to make you happy.

There are more than 750,000 franchise locations in the U.S. The chain restaurants you probably imagine when you think “franchise” are just the tip of the iceberg – and not even the most profitable tip. There are franchises in nearly every industry, from health care to home improvement to hotels.

The bottom line

You spend almost one-third of your waking hours at work. Life is too short to spend that much time unhappy. Whether you’ve never had a job you loved, or you had a job you loved but outgrew it, now is the time to take action and choose change.