Pursusing passions or paying the bills in a career?

Scott Adams (creator of the successful Dilbert comic strip) posted an interesting article on the secret of his success on the Wall Street Journal. He downplays pursuing your passions in favor of just trying something and always being on the lookout for something better. Obviously this approach appears to work for Scott, who has achieved his definition of career and financial success, because he's worth somewhere around $75 million as of this posting and loves what he does. Does this mean that passion is irrelevant in your job search and career progression?

I often meet with people who tell me that their day job is miserable, and they would rather pursue their passions - but they are blocked by one or more of the following:

• financial obligations: mortgages, college loans, retirement planning, credit card debt
• lifestyle choices: car payments, parental or spousal expectations, cost of living concerns
• personal reasons: too old/young, lacking education or experience

These are all valid considerations before making a major career change, but they shouldn't permanently derail your dreams and aspirations. If you are passionate about something, whether it's a cause, activity, or invention, then you're going to think of ways around those challenges. Pursuing something that you care about and that you feel is a good fit will also help you get back up after life knocks you down.

If you are working a job or industry that makes you miserable, how likely are you to keep getting back up after a setback? Can you imagine how someone who loves his or her job will react differently to a setback than someone who is just collecting a paycheck?

In addition, each of has a limited amount of time in this life to work and make a living. Using your passions and interests as a way to filter out the noise and target opportunities to pursue can give you a degree of control and mission that is otherwise lacking in your job search. Knowing what you care about and believe in will help you decide which opportunities to pursue and which ones to avoid.

This bring us back to whether you should pursue your passions or a paycheck as your top priority. From my experience, this is a false choice, and you should look for ways to achieve both. You will be more fulfilled and successful if you love what you do and it can support your lifestyle. Start exploring what really motivates you and use this as a starting point for your next career move.