Santa Clara University

Career Corner

For love and money

The book, Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow, indicates that passion (for your job) and money are separate. It also implies that you will be rewarded financially if you have passion for your career. In reality, passion doesn’t pay the bills, put food on the table, or put a roof over our heads. On the other hand, going into a career just for the money is usually not satisfying. Achieving a balance between passion and money is very important.

To find this balance, we need to determine where money is on our priority list of values. There is no right or wrong to this. It is what is most important to you personally. Some careers pay more financially and others “pay” more emotionally. The value you get back from your career is tied to what is important to you.

Passion can also develop from the way we view our jobs or careers. For example, a salesperson can look at his or her career in several ways:

• “I’m making $50 for every sale I make. I need to sell five items a day to make $60,000 this year.”
• “I have a plan to retire when I am 55. I am working hard to reach that goal. Then I am going to use my savings to travel and enjoy life. I can’t wait for that day to happen. My life will finally be where I want it at that point.”
• “I am selling an item that is helping people live better lives. I feel good that this product helps them and brings them happiness. I am proud to tell people that I sell this product…and I’m getting paid to do this!”

Each one of these salespersons has a goal in mind and finds passion in reaching that goal. We can find passion in what we do or we can find things to do that we are passionate about. The amount of money we make may or may not contribute to that passion.

Jon Sakurai-Horita is assistant director of the Career Center. Call him at 408-554-4421 or e-mail him at jsakuraihorita@scu.edu . Visit the Career Center online at www.scu.edu/careercenter .