The People You Meet
I met someone at The Misfit earlier who asked me what I would do if I were paid $1 million a year to do it. My answer was automatic: write. And throughout the remainder of the conversation, he repeatedly encouraged me to write my poetry and to publish it, because that might be the thing that I one day make a living out of. More importantly, it's the one thing that I know I love to do. Additionally, he reiterated the importance of relationships. In order to establish relationships with people who have the potential to change your life for the better, though, you must first be nice. After about 15 minutes of conversation, he left, turning back to remind me, "Write and publish!"
Fortunate are those who do what they love for a living. Fortunate, too, are those who love what they do for a living. Of course, there lies a difference between the two. Those who do what they love love what they do, and, per something I'm sure you've read or heard before, if you do what you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life. Contrarily, those who love what they do do work, but can find enjoyment in it, even if said enjoyment takes some time to find.
On this note, why does doing something for a living or making a living out of something necessarily imply making money? Can't we simply make a living out of or live off of something we want to do without worrying about money? The contentment and happiness we achieve from doing something we love should be enough motivation to live and keep living, no? Ideally, yes. Realistically, no. Money, and the need for it, ruin so many things for us by leading us to believe that we have to put aside what we really want to do in order to pragmatically "make a living." And eventually, this results in such heavy investment of time into working that we forget our true passions. I wonder, for those who come to love what they do for a living, how much freedom and time they have to tend to what they want to do. But then again, who's to say that their work hasn't become the sole object of their ambitions and goals?
Tonight was certainly not the first time I have heard from strangers about the importance of establishing relationships and networking. It was, however, the first time that somebody emphasized the importance of being nice. It makes sense: the stranger you're being nice to might end up being your employer, or vice versa. I am nice to everyone I meet, but I certainly don't pre-contemplate the importance of doing so. In any case, it is nice to be nice and to have people reciprocate it. And I think from there comes mutual respect--and maybe even trust!--that constructs the foundation of any given solid relationship.
The people you meet will be numerous and various, and they will come and go. But if you're lucky, you'll encounter a stranger every once a while who will remind you of the important things in life that you may have lost sight of while working hard to make a living. And if that stranger is lucky, you'll be nice and do the same for him or the next stranger you meet. I think we all need such reminders every now and then from the people we meet.
Fortunate are those who do what they love for a living. Fortunate, too, are those who love what they do for a living. Of course, there lies a difference between the two. Those who do what they love love what they do, and, per something I'm sure you've read or heard before, if you do what you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life. Contrarily, those who love what they do do work, but can find enjoyment in it, even if said enjoyment takes some time to find.
On this note, why does doing something for a living or making a living out of something necessarily imply making money? Can't we simply make a living out of or live off of something we want to do without worrying about money? The contentment and happiness we achieve from doing something we love should be enough motivation to live and keep living, no? Ideally, yes. Realistically, no. Money, and the need for it, ruin so many things for us by leading us to believe that we have to put aside what we really want to do in order to pragmatically "make a living." And eventually, this results in such heavy investment of time into working that we forget our true passions. I wonder, for those who come to love what they do for a living, how much freedom and time they have to tend to what they want to do. But then again, who's to say that their work hasn't become the sole object of their ambitions and goals?
Tonight was certainly not the first time I have heard from strangers about the importance of establishing relationships and networking. It was, however, the first time that somebody emphasized the importance of being nice. It makes sense: the stranger you're being nice to might end up being your employer, or vice versa. I am nice to everyone I meet, but I certainly don't pre-contemplate the importance of doing so. In any case, it is nice to be nice and to have people reciprocate it. And I think from there comes mutual respect--and maybe even trust!--that constructs the foundation of any given solid relationship.
The people you meet will be numerous and various, and they will come and go. But if you're lucky, you'll encounter a stranger every once a while who will remind you of the important things in life that you may have lost sight of while working hard to make a living. And if that stranger is lucky, you'll be nice and do the same for him or the next stranger you meet. I think we all need such reminders every now and then from the people we meet.
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