Sometimes when I meet professionals for personal consultation, I realize that though appropriate options are available for them, some of them are just not ready for these options or for the real answers to their deep-rooted questions. It happens to all of us at some time or the other. We do not accept the answers unless we are ready for them.
This is a wonderful, tongue-in-cheek talk by Larry Smith called: Why you will fail to have a great career. Larry Smith is a professor of economics at the University of Waterloo in Canada, he coaches his students to find the career that they will truly love. He has also mentored many start-ups as well. One well-known startup he advised in its early stage is Research in Motion (RIM), maker of the BlackBerry.
This talk is full of laughter, yet it strikes a chord within. He talks about difference between interests and passion. He also discusses commonly used excuses such as relationships, parenting etc. while finding and pursuing a great career based on one’s true passion. They say sometimes sarcasm is the best way to drive home a point, and this talk exemplifies it quite well.
As Larry Smith says: Wasted talent is a waste I cannot stand!
This is a quote from this talk:
Or are you going to tell him (your kid) this:
“I had a dream once, kid. But then, you were born.”Do you really want to use your family, do you really ever want to look at your spouse and your kid, and see your jailers?
Watch him talking it himself in his unique, dramatized style!
When I find myself getting caught in the web of excuses, or reasons as I like to think of them at that point, I watch this video and take a hard look at my reasons! It makes me laugh and it also inspires me, hope it could inspire some the readers as well!
The featured image used here is a screen-shot from Larry Smith’s talk.
Reminds me of our ‘part time – full time’ discussion.
Also, I believe Purpose is more fundamental than passion. I find the confinement of the speaker to ‘career’ limiting. And the term ‘great career’ and differentiation from good career unnecessarily elitist and reflective of the same American principle of ‘comparative happiness’ that ails us all today.
Purpose isn’t limited to a career. It is ‘You’. And whether you are at work, with family or with friends, you have the choice to be ‘purposeful’ (not to be confused with useful, Purpose here is person-specific).
What I am saying here is, ‘great career’ comes from a baser human need than ‘living your purpose’.
A resounding YES!! Finding purpose/calling or realizing “This is who I am” is more fundamental. It is both: liberating & empowering.
In this talk however, he is talking more about reconsidering our problems and that’s what I am trying to point at!