"کار شما بخش بزرگی از زندگی شما را پر خواهد کرد، و تنها راه برای رضایت واقعی این است که کاری را انجام دهید که به نظر شما یک کار بزرگ است. و تنها راه انجام یک کار بزرگ این است که عاشق کاری باشید که انجام می‌دهید."

Work occupies a huge chunk of our lives. If we want to feel genuine satisfaction, we need to believe that what we're doing is valuable. True excellence in our work comes from a place of passion and love for what we’re doing.

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, said this during a commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005. He was a visionary who transformed multiple industries, including personal computing, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. Jobs wasn’t just successful by accident; he truly loved what he did, and that passion drove him to achieve great things.

Imagine a chef who’s passionate about cooking. Let’s call her Lisa. She’s not just someone who makes food because it’s a job that pays the bills. Lisa sees cooking as an art. She experiments with flavors, textures, and presentations. Her love for cooking pushes her to get up at the crack of dawn, visit local markets, talk to farmers about their produce, and try out new recipes late into the night. It’s this dedication that turns her food into something extraordinary. Her restaurant becomes renowned not just for its delicious dishes but for the heart and soul that clearly goes into every plate. Lisa’s passion inspires her staff, who also begin to see their work as more than just a job.

So, how do you apply this wisdom to your life? Start by identifying what really excites you. What’s that one thing you could spend hours talking about? It might not be obvious at first, and that’s okay. Give yourself the freedom to explore different activities and subjects. Take a class, volunteer, or seek out new experiences. Once you find something that sparks joy and interest, dive deep. Learn everything you can about it, and practice it as much as possible.

Now, picture a young guy named Alex. He works in a cubicle, doing data entry. It’s mundane, and he doesn’t find any joy in it. But on weekends, he loves fixing up old cars. The satisfaction of seeing a rusty vehicle run smoothly again fills him with immense joy. So, Alex starts taking night classes in auto mechanics. Over time, he gets certified and starts repairing cars in his spare time. Eventually, he opens his own garage. Now, he’s doing what he loves every day. Sure, there are challenges, and running a garage isn’t always glamorous, but the fulfillment he gets from his work is incomparable. He’s not just fixing cars; he’s living his dream.

It’s important to remember that this isn’t about dropping everything and chasing a dream blindly. Passion can be pursued alongside practical considerations. Sometimes you have to work a job to pay the bills while you nurture your true passion on the side. Eventually, if you’re persistent, you might find a way to make a living doing what you love.

In the end, it’s about finding what makes you come alive and pursuing it with everything you’ve got. So, take a moment to reflect. What do you love? What work would make you feel like you’re truly making a difference? Once you find it, pour your heart into it. That’s the key to not just doing great work but living a great life.