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The Business Case for Following Your Passion

By Caleb Frostman, Executive Director, Door County Economic Development Corporation

What I’m about to say might be considered blasphemy in today’s student debt and academic career planning-centric society, but here goes: I am 100 percent convinced there is a compelling business case to be made for pursuing your life’s deepest passion as a career.

Yes, even if that means going into student debt at a four-year, liberal arts university to pursue a philosophy, Russian literature, or political science degree.

I can almost hear it now: “What?! The new economic development guy has gone off his rocker!” I assure you, I have not. At least not any more than I already was.

The skeptics continue: “The average student debt load has never been higher, we have a suffocating workforce shortage, especially in the skilled trades and manufacturing, and this guy’s suggesting our kids ride unicorns over rainbows for a living if that’s what they’re passionate about?!”

To be fair, I’m suggesting that it’s a design not just for kids, but for adults, too!

Luckily, since riding unicorns over rainbows doesn’t pay much (so I’m told), certain passions lend themselves to exciting, well-paying career opportunities.

Those passionate about spending the weekend in the garage or basement tinkering, building, and fixing can (and do) open their own car repair shops, become engineers at companies like Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Therma-Tron-X, and Marine Travelift, or a construction superintendent at Peninsula Building Systems; kids who salivate at the thought of spending their next day off of school in the woods or on the water can become conservation wardens for the DNR, naturalists at The Ridges, or state park superintendents; and students enthralled by the history of our country can pursue a challenging, fulfilling, living wage job as a high school history teacher.

But here’s where things take a turn: I’m a strong advocate for pursuing those non-traditional passions as careers, as well.

I look at successful Door County entrepreneurs like Mark Schuster of Bay Shore Outfitters, Mike Brennenstuhl and Mary Beth Hill at Door Artisan Cheese, A.J. Frank of Door County Trolley, Dave Eliot at this here newspaper (among other ventures), Jody and Patsy Wuollett of Chop, Lure, and Pasta Vino fame, and the incredibly talented cellist Hans Christian, all of whom are making a go of it (and then some!) on the Door Peninsula by being the best at what they do, which also happens to be what they love to do. I think it’s a safe assumption that they’re likely the former because of the latter, and not the other way around.

If you’re one of the top performers in your field, you’re almost assured to make a decent living at it, whether that is practicing medicine, making cheese, painting, welding, teaching philosophy, organic farming, counseling drug addicts, or custom landscaping. There’s always demand for greatness.

However, there’s a catch: Successfully following one’s passion as a full-time endeavor requires even more financial and academic planning, a more comprehensive strategy, and more forethought than a traditional career path.

Pursuing a non-traditional career also demands semi-regular contact with, and acceptance of, reality, which is tricky for a lot of us (growing up, I was convinced I was destined to play for the Packers… and look at me now!). Can I really do this? Am I setting myself up for failure? Am I willing to go $20,000 in debt to make this career happen? $50,000? $100,000? How can I avoid or minimize that kind of debt and still achieve my ultimate career goals? Do I have the mental endurance to pursue and attain the necessary degrees and/or accreditations that make this career financially feasible? What are my financial resources? Can my pride and patience withstand living with my parents until I’m 26 to get my business off the ground? Can my parents endure living with me until I’m 26? To this point, have I achieved objective successes in this field that would indicate that this is a viable option to put food on the table, a roof over my head, and a few bucks into a 401(k)?

If I’ve learned anything in my short time on Earth, it’s just that – the time here is short. And if you’re going to spend 40+ hours a week for 40+ years of your life at work, it’s probably best for you (and your success) that you enjoy what you’re doing, even if that means taking the more arduous road in the near term.

I don’t think my experience is unique in that the most demonstrably successful, charismatic and engaging professionals I’ve encountered, regardless of their occupation, are those who pour everything they have into their work, in large part because they don’t feel like they’re working when they’re at “work.” They love it. They strategize on improving their performance when they’re doing the dishes. They think about additional training they could be doing while mowing the lawn. Their job isn’t a weight around their neck. It’s more than a job – it’s a vocation. And as a direct result of that dedication and passion, they’re great at what they do and thus differentiate themselves from their competition. And as the best, they are able to survive, and usually thrive, making a living doing what they love.

And if you really want to ride unicorns over rainbows for a living, I suggest you also have a backup plan.

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