Survive your dream job

It's the classic dilemma: You have passion - whether it is writing, art, acting, music, gardening, interior design, or whatever you lose track of time doing. But, you also have bills to pay - rent, car, insurance, utilities, kitty litter, toothpastes, etc. Here's how to find the balance.

1. Review your priorities.

Were those sparkly stilettos or that plasma TV really worth the number of hours you had to spend in a cubicle, or getting yelled at by your boss, or dealing with impossible clients, in order to pay for that purchase? What in your spending diary would you happily give up if it meant spending eight hours a day doing something you actually enjoy doing? For example, you might not splurge on take-out, smoke, and drink if you weren't so depressed or frustrated about job.

2. Do what you love on the side.

If you can't find the motivation to pursue your passion part-time, you will never be able to push yourself and make it work full-time. Prove to yourself that this is really what you want to do, and test the waters without quitting your day job. Whether it means volunteering, getting a part-time job, taking an art course, or just locking yourself in your room with a guitar, a pencil, and a piece of paper, get down to business. Take the leap once you are more confident about the likelihood of success.

3. Sell the fruits of your labor.

Show people your work. Talk about it every change you get. Ask for feedback. Start a website. Use social networking to promote what you do. Most importantly, learn not to take criticism personally. Remember that if you want to do what you love for a living, you have to offer the world something they want. That's the deal. Keep up your end of the bargain.

4. Have courage.

Doing what you love is often a balance between producing what you know your clients want and being bold. With ficus and determination, you can take some risks in trying out new ideas and approaches that are untested--just be sure to keep the things that you know do work running as well.

5. Learn to manage your money.

Learn the difference between what you need over what you want and apply this to all spending decisions.

* Draw up a weekly budget. Stay within the limits you have set yourself, as well as setting aside an amount for saving each week.

* Keep a spending diary - record each and every one of your purchases in a single notebook. You may be surprised at some of the frivolous purchases or at discovering where you could be cutting costs.

* Build your emergency fund. It's a safety net both in reality and psychologically, that lets you have more wiggle room.

6. Do things that cost nothing or very little.

There are plenty of free or cheap ways to enjoy yourself in your downtime and in many cases, these will probably enhance your creativity and enthusiasm for what you are doing. Make a list of the things you love to do that don't cost much, such as hiking, visiting the park, going to galleries, checking out the museums in your area, people-watching, having a long, slow coffee in a vibrant coffeehouse, reading books that take you out of your comfort zone, and sitting on the beach, etc.

Dreams matter but always be conscious that the dream must be broken into manageable actions that cross into reality and get achieved. Use the "dream" part of your dream job to stay enthused and motivated; the "job" part is all about the doing.

Also read the article earn more and spend less.

Taken from: News Straits Times - 27 August 2012 (article), Google (images).