Author of #DoThisDaily | CEO, community of SEVEN | Speaks on Growth Mindset, Empathy, Servant Leadership, Work Culture, Purpose-Driven Living | Master Trainer, Leadership Development & Training
When figuring out what you want to do in life, I always tell people that following your passion is bull$hit advice. Here’s why… This message is for anyone who has ever had or plans to have a career pivot. I used to be a hip-hop booking agent. I booked artists like Slum Village, Dwele, J-Dilla, Bahamadia, and Phife Dawg from Tribe Called Quest. I was the executive producer on Triple Threat’s album Many Styles. Before that, I was a high school teacher passionate about education reform. I’ve had many career pivots: sold shoes at Nordstrom's, booking agent, real estate investor, entrepreneur, agency person, and marketer. Everyone told me I could never advance in my career because my experience was disparate. After my first agency job, I worked in advertising and marketing for almost two decades. Here’s the thing: it was never my passion. I’ve always told people that when it comes to career choice, following your passion is bull$hit advice. Why? You might not be able to get paid for what you love doing or you might not have enough competency at the moment to get into that field. During this panel discussion at MAD/Fest in London, I discussed the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which, loosely translated, means your reason for being. It’s a concept that encourages people to discover what truly matters to them and to live a life filled with purpose and joy. Ikigai is the convergence of four primary elements: what you love (your passion), what the world needs (your mission), what you are good at (your vocation), and what you can get paid for (your profession). You find your purpose when all elements intersect. Today, I’ve found my Ikigai. I’m an author. I train hundreds of thousands of leaders each year and speak worldwide. I found my passion because I did not stay on one career path. I pivoted. I learned what I enjoyed doing. I figured out where there was a market and a need. I got good at my craft with a lot of trial and error. The journey to find your life’s calling is not linear. It’s messy and full of ups and downs. It’s about testing and learning. It’s about taking risks. It’s about getting better at your craft till someone is willing to pay you to do what you love. There is no finish line. The end goal is never about getting that job. It’s about who you become in the process. Your passion is only one piece of the puzzle. Let me know if you understand this message. Love, Lan Phan community of SEVEN If you’ve found value in my posts, order my book Do This Daily: Secrets to Finding Success, Happiness, and Purpose in Work and Life: https://lnkd.in/ehxiRfA9
I could have used this advice in my 20s and 30s when I felt I had “lost my way.” Now that I’m 50, I feel more zen about my meandering path! 🤣I’m where I’m supposed to be!
Monique K.
3w
Lan Phan, I have worked for 20 years and counting with Japanese pharma companies, so the concept really resonates with me. My passion is health, the world needs better health (what) and inclusivity (how), I'm good at corporate and product marketing communications and I get paid to be a full-time professor and business owner/consultant to the top biopharma companies in the world. I'm jealous of your hip hop agent career and the artists you worked with. "You on point Tip, all the time Phife!" Ahhhh, the good days of hip hop!
This speaks to me Lan Phan, I am halfway through Do This Daily!
Lan Phan - Thank you for sharing this message to your audience. Life is like the Dr. Seuss book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" I appreciate your candor, care, and kindness. I feel blessed and honored as you continue to help inspire me. I will continue to walk my journey to the unknown but connect the dots back to our starting point during Covid has never been so clear - thank you! I will forever be grateful for your influence on my life and my work as my pivots are aligning to my ultimate reason for living a life of service to others. I'll continue to thank you for leading the way. My first professional development conference was John Maxwell, and you mirror his quotes. "Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” “The true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.” “To build trust, a leader must exemplify competence, connection, and character.” Warmly, Jason Springer
My Strategic Passion Formula P + M x GN = Financial Return →Passion (P) = Fun Pursuing what you love brings joy and fulfillment. →Passion + Market Need (MN) = Financial Return When your passion aligns with a market need, it generates financial rewards. → Passion + Global Need (Market Need) = Financial Return + Potential to Scale Aligning your passion with a global need ensures financial returns and offers significant growth and scaling opportunities. Thank you for sharing your personal journey Lan Phan! Rock on my friend!
One piece of the puzzle Love that Lan Phan
Thank you Lan for your post. I have had several people say that I am living in Ikigai. Your definition is spot on. I, too, took a weaved career journey to get to this point in life from management consulting in the tech sector to today in creative youth development. During this journey, I was always listening and learning to be aware of what mattered to me; what I cared about such as inspiring young people, education opportunity, and the arts and what made me happy when I volunteered in those types opportunities as a volunteer leader, and eventually board member. Then I listened to my gut when given the opportunity to choose a nonprofit career path which eventually led me to The Wooden Floor. As CEO, each and every day I get to lead with my purpose, and carryout our important mission to inspire and transform the lives of young people through the power of dance and access to higher education. 🤗
Jesse Silver
3w
I kind of do and don't agree with following your passion being bullshit advice. I followed mine and it served me well. I just didn't initially understand what it was. You're going to spend a lot of your lifespan working at something and it's a lot easier if you like, and better, love, what you do for a living. People who work at something that they don't enjoy are going to be at a disadvantage compared to others working at that same task who like or love it. Of course, one has to be practical, and reality may be that one's passion is better reserved as a hobby than as one's career. That's why we have Doctor's and Lawyer's orchestras. But that career will be more fulfilling if it's something that you enjoy. A career is a different form of marriage. If you hate either, it's not going to work. Career pivots are a part of life. Almost all of us experience them. And along the way those different experiences inform us and refine for us what matters to us. Jewelry in college, shirt distribution later on, and 47 years in VFX and Animation with many pivots in that field, I learned that my true passion is color, and I've found many ways to express that passion in the work that I do.
This: “The journey to find your life’s calling is not linear. It’s messy and has a lot of ups and downs. It’s about testing and learning. It’s about taking risks. It’s about getting better at your craft till someone is willing to pay you to do what you love. “ 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Senior-level, strategic leader sharing ownership for both business strategy and business value results derived from technology investment.
3wGreat insights. Here are the key takeaways I see in this: 1. Passion Alone is Insufficient: Career success requires more than just following your passion. 2. Career Pivots are Valuable: Multiple career changes help discover true interests and skills. 3. Ikigai Concept: True purpose lies at the intersection of what you love, what the world needs, what you are good at, and what you can get paid for. 4. Purpose Through Convergence: Fulfillment comes when all elements of Ikigai align. 5. Non-Linear Journey: Finding your calling involves experimentation, risks, and continuous improvement. 6. Continuous Improvement: Success requires getting better at your craft until it becomes marketable. 7. Focus on Growth: The goal is personal growth through the career journey, not just obtaining a specific job. 8. Holistic Approach: Passion is just one part of the career fulfillment puzzle. Understanding the broader picture is crucial.