Passion and Work

(The first of many blogs inspired by Henry David Thoreau)

“If the laborer gets no more than the wages which his employer pays him, he is cheated, he cheats himself.” –‘Life Without Principle’ by Henry David Thoreau

I would be willing to bet that this is a subject that many have thought on, especially during the beginnings of adulthood. The quote itself can be inspirational yet grim to think upon. That is unless you have achieved the situation that Thoreau’s words suggest.

I myself find it difficult to think about. I am tempted to quell all thoughts regarding the subject and end the blog short. However, instead let us delve into it. I find myself working in an accounting position in corporate America. I have always had a fascination with the success of businesses, and have strived to reach success as well. I enjoy the competition of it, the negotiations, and analyzing the end result. Nevertheless, I cannot confuse this enjoyment with passion. Maybe it has to do with my current job responsibilities, but I do not find myself getting pumped up to write an annual report, compile a budget, or even calculate commissions on a large sale. I do not find myself fervently delving into the technicalities of the Sarbanes-Oxley act or losing myself in the 2006 book of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

The question becomes, “am I cheating myself?”

Am I cheating myself by not pursuing a career in personal physical training? After all, I do find myself getting pumped up to put together new exercise programs for myself, and my friends. I do find myself fervently reading about the science behind plyo-metrics and explosive strength during my lunch break. People actually make money for helping others improve their athletic performance, health, and overall quality of life! This just happens to be the subject I cannot get enough of. It seems simple then doesn’t it? Quit the corporate job, and start certification towards personal training?

That may seem to be the case. However, there are other things to consider. (WARNING --the following could potentially include some serious rationalization.) There are the current relationships I have formed with my co-workers. There are the comforts of a steady paycheck that pay for car payments, health insurance, retirement planning, a mortgage, etc. There is the potential for advancement to other, more stimulating positions at the current company. There is the ‘worst-case scenario’ of a luxurious retirement in 40 years. So how do you quantify, qualify, or analyze the trade-offs? Maybe you don’t. Maybe you do not want to admit your career choices thus far have been for naught because you are not doing that which you do or would do anyway, without payment? Maybe you are content with your current job and lifestyle? Maybe you feel you are blessed with being able to live as you do, to enjoy your friends and family as you do. But maybe you could continue to enjoy those things and more with a move toward your passion?

It certainly is a question worth considering…

Dangerous Headlines

Wall Street Journal headline: “Low-Calorie Diet Can Slow Aging of Heart, Study Shows.” That’s just what we need – a bunch of “newly-educated” people that are starving themselves for the sake of a healthy heart. It goes on to say that a very low calorie diet can slow down the aging process of the heart. So the individual that doesn’t read the entire article (and there are a lot of them…I often find myself not reading complete articles), are convinced that its time to cut calories. This is obviously very dangerous. So the solution is to either have a society that reads only complete articles, or to have more socially responsible headlines.

Further along in the article, the studies author recommends a moderate calorie reduction for normal western consumers. Also, the study was focusing in on people that eat a very Mediterranean diet full of vegetables and olive oil while avoiding empty calories found in soda, deserts, and other processed foods. This diet in itself is obviously conducive to a healthy heart – especially with the benefits to your cholesterol from the olive oil.

But wait, its not that simple. One of the main goals for media is to get people to read, view, and interact with their material. Thus, they need a creative headline or hook to bring the reader in. So I’ll get off my high horse here and say that it is a moral dilemma not unique to this particular situation. Basically we need to assume that our society is full of capable, competent individuals that will not make decisions based upon one sentence. Otherwise we will be paralyzed…incapable of getting anything accomplished because we would first have to okay it with every board, every association, and put warning after warning on whatever it is we are doing.

The moral of the story is that we do not need to starve ourselves to have a healthy heart. We do need a balanced diet, and enjoy food in moderation. A little olive oil never hurts either!