'Taking jobs to build up your resume, is the same as saving sex for old age.'

By MAMAMIA TEAM

What is the work you can’t not do?

This is the question Scott Dinsmore posed in his 2012 TEDx talk in San Francisco.

Sure, it’s a double negative – but it has a positive message. What is your passion? What kind of work would make you actually want to get out of bed in the morning? What work would do the… opposite of grind your gears. Rev your engine?

Dinsmore’s TED talk was viewed more than 180,000 times in the first few weeks after it was posted online, and is now one of the top 25 most viewed TED talks on the channel. That’s right. Out of all the TED talks – and my goodness, there have been a lot — this one is in the top 25.

In the talk, Dinsmore talks about how people can find out what they love (and also mentions the business side of things, which is his website LiveYourLegend.net).

At 1.30, Dinsmore reveals that 80 per cent don’t like their job. Eighty. That’s what started his mission to discover what the 20 percent who do like their job, are doing differently.

At 2.30, Dismore reveals the question that caused 80 percent (there’s that number again) of friends who asked him for career advice to quit their jobs. That question was: “Why are you doing the work that you’re doing?”

At 3.30, he shares the three main principles for finding out what you love – and what you should be doing with your life. 1. Becoming  a self-expert. 2. Believing that you can do the impossible. 3. Surrouding yourself with passionate people.

At 9.00, Dinsmore shares the best life advice he ever got. From a 13-year-old kid. So you know it’s got to be good. We’ll leave you to hear this one for yourself.

One of the strongest messages to come through in Dinsmore’s talk, is the importance of surrounding yourself with passionate people. You are so much more likely to succeed in your chosen field, if you feel challenged and inspired by – and actually like – the people who you associate with professionally (and personally).

As Dinsmore points out, the opposite is also true. If you surround yourself with apathetic, complacent, or negative people – those emotions are likely to rub off on you. So, scarily, the ’80 percent of people hating their job’ statistic might be contagious.

If there is an immunity to such an infection, it’s probably this: infectious enthusiasm for what you do.

So – what is the work you can’t not do?

If you’re as inspired by Scott Dinsmore’s words and philosophy as we were, then you can find out more about him at his website here. He also has courses and books available that you can get your hands on if his words appealed to you or you’re planning on a career change. Clickety click right this way… HERE.