Should I Follow My Passion?

For the past year, I explored video editing.

Now, after returning from Japan, I'm not too sure if I want to keep pursuing this passion.

And, you might be in the same boat. Wondering whether or not you should follow that passion of yours? The thing that doesn't make money, yet brings you great joy through its pursuits.

I want to give my two cents, and share my story of how I'm approaching my predicament.

My Story

God shows the way.

From June 2024 to August 2024, I was applying to Australian marketing jobs without the success of landing a role. This resentment and acceptance of patience led me to book to Japan on a working holiday visa.

On my trip, I met a bunch of people, learned to talk to them. Became a recluse in my Japanese hostels editing short form videos thinking the six months in Japan would be too long.

Came back to Australia in May, ready to start working again.

During my job search, a role I considered before became more attractive:

Car salesman.

Why haven't I thought of this before?

I was gunning for sales role before my whole video editing phase because I thought it ought to be the natural path towards marketing. Trying to cut the middleman, I then diverged into marketing.

But, what if my calling is in sales

So, I applied to car sales roles. Asked my boss for a reference to apply for Toyota. When we met in person, I said,

"I was really wanting a marketing role. But, you know, I've sort of got to realise that, maybe, I am good at sales."

I'm in a unique predicament where the thing I'm passionate (creating content) about I'm not necessarily an expert yet. And, sales, something that I have a level of competency with, I pushed aside.

Really, I think it's God's way of saying,

"I've given you a skill. Go use it."

Like a father telling his son to go down the path he knows he should go down. Or God telling Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, even when he doubted his 'slow of tongue'.

What Makes You Passionate About Something?

Is it personality? Temperament? Interest?

I've learnt that it's due to competency, largely.

For example, until Grade 11, I never enjoyed cello only when I became good at it. I hated practising the instrument. Always lying to my strings teacher the true amount of practice I put in.

(It was near zero)

Then, what would it mean to follow my passion in the context of career?

Do something you enjoy? Or something that you can find the joy in doing?

In sales, I find it hard to initiate an interaction with the first customer. But as the shift goes on, I groove into it.

Say hello to everyone.

Smile.

Generate positive energy.

What Is The Real Passion?

The passion is in helping people. And in almost skill you learn, you will help people.

(In sales, you help the prospect make a decision)

My interview with Toyota, they asked,

"Denzil, you keep saying 'helping people'. Like, why sales? What does helping people mean?"

Vulnerably, I said,

"Well, I want to make money. And in order to make money I must help people. In order to help people, I must learn a skill."

You might then think,

"You're just after money, Denzil."

If that was true, I'd be out in the mines doing FIFO work. My current northstar is learning as much skills as possible to prepare me for my 30's.

I am deathly afraid to become my peers who are directionless, jumping from job to job, with no career. Essentially, incompetent and useless. Those are two words I do not want to associate with.

With time, I realised that when one says, "I want to be rich", it means that I want to help provide value to people. That comes from learning a skill and getting good at it.

The pessimists might then say,

"One's pursuit should not be turned into a gain for Capitalism."

The greatest thing you will do in this life is helping people outside of yourself. And with the existence of the creator economy, niches become profitable as their is an audience willing to learn that obscure hobby.

For myself, I looked at the pieces on the chessboard. There's more people wanting to apply marketing roles compared to sales roles. Among my peer group, I don't hear anyone wanting to be involved in sales.

If there is a gap in the market, why not fill it?

The most bites I got from job applications was, indeed, sales roles. Is it the nature of the job market that people do not want to work sales roles?

Then, I do like the idea of applying to jobs as a harden sales rep.

(Sales is such a versatile skill)

So, Should I Follow My Passion?

Find what you're good at. And find something that other people value.

If you're not good at anything, then try explore your options and find the opportunity that resonates with you the most.

Do a bit of Charlie Munger inverse-esque thinking,

"What problems am I willing to deal with?"

I'm fortunate that I have the temperment to deal with customer service and sales.

But it wasn't always like that. I was deathly afraid to talk to people.

It was until I took an opportunity to work at a low-traffic golf retail shop that I learnt the ropes of basic retail. Which led me to becoming a display home host, a retail employee at one of Australia's largest electronics retailer, and now as a Toyota salesman.

Who knows what could have been if I never taken the plunge into retail sales?

I may never have had the drive to get better at my sales job. Or my craft as a salesman?