Following the eight-fold path

Following your passion is probably not the worst advice ever, but it's easily not the best. For most of us, it's simply impossible. Oh, we all dream of being a rock star/athlete/astronaut when we're kids, but seldom do we even find the energy or opportunity to fulfill one passion. So, what do we do? How do we find fulfillment and happiness while at the same time settling for something that pays the bills?

1. Find your one thing. What is it that you want? Deciding to follow your dreams can be a terrifying, thrilling, and dangerous activity - but then again, deciding to abandon your dreams to the dustbin is too. It's helpful to keep in mind that your 'one thing' is not a specific plan, like to be a rock star/athlete/astronaut, but is a more general idea, like living simply, having power and influence, or making a difference.

2. Be flexible. There is seldom 'one perfect job' - but there are often a few not-quite perfect jobs, several workable jobs, and countless run-away-as-fast-as-you-can jobs. Flexibility frees you from the need to find 'the job', helps prevent you from chronic (and frequent) job-hopping, and it also lets you select jobs that encourage you to focus on you (more on this next). Since job-hopping can be an effective career killer, this is pretty important, but this last bit is really the more important of the advantages, because it gives most any job the potential to be one in which you can find and grow your passion.

3. Focus on you. Simple, right? A few really interesting studies have shown that competence and autonomy yield higher rates of job satisfaction than other factors. (Check out Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us for more information.) To keep it simple, ask yourself "how do I get better?" By answering this question, you'll increase competency (keep in mind Robert's Rule #1) and as a result, you'll most likely increase your autonomy. Just keep focusing on you.

4. Look to the stars. This is the companion to focus on you. This will answer much of the question about how you get better. The stars who do the same work you do will show you the skills you need to hone to become better. Often, they will enact those skills without even noticing what they're doing, so asking them "how do I get better" will most likely not yield the results you expect (see Robert's Rule #3). Instead, observe them - note what situation they address and how they address it, ask them to mentor you, ask them questions about their skill that make them think, but don't ask them "what do I need to know" or "how do I get better" - those are your questions to answer.

5. Become visible. There is a theory that if you're invisible, you're less likely to become redundant, "riffed", or otherwise "terminated". Perhaps there was a time that line of reasoning was true; however, job security of that sort is truly an anachronism. While it may be that the squeaky part gets the grease (or gets replaced), very few employers are a pure meritocracy, and even in a meritocracy there is the concept of 'winking in the dark' - so increase your visibility.

6. Understand what you value. As you focus on you and become more visible, those you work for will begin to see your value. As the organization sees your value, they will (most likely) push you toward those roles and activities which they value. It stands to reason - after all, who wouldn't want their best employees on their most important projects, right? Keep in mind, however, that what an organization values may not be the same thing that you value, and following what someone else values may take you off your path.

7. Be relentless. Passion is called passion for a reason. If the potential you see does not drive you, if it is not a goal you can taste without which life would be a miserable, empty shell, settle. The work is too hard and your ambition is not enough. On the other hand, if there is a single thing you want more than anything else, then in the words of Yoda, "do or do not, there is no try".

8. Leverage your value. As you follow the path, it can lead you to a point where you can leverage your value. Here's the payoff for all your hard work. Here's where you get to follow your passion. You may not the rock star/athlete/astronaut who gets to sing the national anthem before the championship game where you score the winning point before the manned mission to Mars, but maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to follow your passion, and like friends of mine who have become the surfer-web developer, the hiker-photographer, and the UI engineer-disc golfer.