Insights -Doing what you love? - By Michelle Libby

“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” 
 

That quote should be the standard by which we all live. Teachers, who love to see children learn, should be teachers. People who build things should do that for a living. People, who love to write, should put their words out there. 

I’m one of those people. In high school I had to make the tough decision whether to stay in band or join the staff of the newsmagazine. I choose the newsmagazine and never looked back. I went to college for journalism and started writing romance novels in 2000. It’s in my blood and I love it. Work doesn’t feel like work.

Talking to my daughter about her future, I have been known to ask what her plan would look like. When she wanted to be a scientist, I asked if she wanted to sit in a lab all day. When she wanted to be a graphic designer, I asked if she wanted to work at a computer all day. When she decided on becoming a game warden, she already knew what that would look like as a profession and she is ready to take on that challenge. 

I knew in high school that I loved writing (I took creative writing twice), but I also knew that I didn’t want to sit at a desk all day. Being a reporter feeds my need for seeing people and learning about new things.

This past weekend, I spent time with other fiction writers. Some published, some not, some writing for big publishers, others happy writing for themselves. Hanging out with like-minded people is a charge to the creative juices. 

I know a man who woodworks and he gets together with other woodworkers to learn new ways to craft items. When he returns from one of his gatherings, he has learned something new and is excited to get to work.

When you love what you do, you want to show the world and share your excitement for that passion. Passion and work is never done in a vacuum. Writers have cover designers and publishers. Game wardens have other area agencies to depend on. Everyone has to have someone at some point, even if it’s customers through an online site. 

Paying the bills is also an important part of being an adult, so if you can combine loving what you do and making enough to survive, then you’re golden. 

I hope you all get a chance to do what you love at some point in your life.

-Michelle