Happiness is at the intersection of purpose and passion

Morten Hansen tries to tackle the question of if you should follow your passion or choose a career that gives you safety and stability. He discusses how at graduation ceremonies people are told to follow their passion even if they fail or have to lead a less comfortable lifestyle. However, as he also points out colleges don't invite speakers who have followed their passion and failed. Hansen discusses how in his study of 5000 people, he found that there is a 3rd alternative to following your passion vs following the money and a comfortable lifestyle -- combining your purpose and your passion.

Hansen poses that you must find something you are good at to be successful in life in terms of money and status, but that you also must be excited about what it is you're doing to be successful in life in your overall joy.

This is a good point because often people are discouraged from following what truly makes them happy for fear that it is not a viable career. However, if people can find a way to combine what they love with what they are good at, it will lead to a happier and healthier life.  

For me, this currently looks like combining my passion for social initiatives and caring for others with my skills in writing and research to work for Perform with Purpose. Later in life, I hope to work for corporate social responsibility and help corporations as a whole benefit society, while continuing to use my research and communication skills to propel my success.

It doesn't matter what your passion is and what your purpose is. There is a spot where they connect and finding that intersection will lead to the best outcomes in life.

Written by: Bryn Garick

Sources: Hansen, M. (2018, May 9). Find success in your career by learning how to match your passion with your purpose. Morten Hansen. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://www.mortenhansen.com/find-success-in-your-career-by-learning-how-to-match-your-passion-with-your-purpose/#:~:text=There%20is%20actually%20a%20BIG,(an%20other%2Dorientation).