I was reading a book, and I’m a light reader so I guess I can admit it was a cookbook. OK, I was reading a cookbook yesterday, and it contained, amongst all the recipes, interview-style stories with famous cooks. One interview stood out. Well, it wasn’t so much the interview as it was one statement from the interview. Chef Mario Batali said, “I can teach a chimp to cook dinner. But I cannot teach a chimp how to love it.”
It was said in reference to hiring people for his restaurants. You can’t teach passion. What a great mantra for all of us – hirers or those being hired. Passion is a key to success and it’s not something you teach, it’s something you discover. We all have passion, but we don’t all find it. And, it seems only a few of us end up doing it for a living, the few lucky ones (I actually hope it’s more than a few).
A reality of business and careers – money follows passion. If you aren’t passionate about what you do, you might make money, but finding wealth would be more challenging. Ask yourself these questions: If you didn’t make a dime doing what you do, would you keep doing it if you could? Even if you don’t have to work after hours, do you? Do you get out of bed happier on weekdays or weekends? If you are motivated by your work, it should be a tie.
If you don’t love what you do for a living, you are in trouble. We all can learn how to “cook,” But we can’t be taught to love it. And, the real wealth lies with what we love. Being happier more than you are sad. None of us wants to grow old with regrets while we drudge away being average. Find and follow the passion, and you’ll find wealth, both financial and personal.