So I was reading a book called So Good They Can't Ignore You and the author says that following your passion or dream job is kinda bullshit. You need to get really good at something and make everyone knows about it. And when you reach this level you will get in your dream job, not because of what you do but because this gives an opportunity of being in more control of what you do when you do and this kind of stuff.
He says that even when your job is stressing you, it's best to find a way to get specialized so people can come to you. What do you guys think about that? To you, it's best to find a job that fits it's strengths or develop your strengths in the career you already choose?
This is a good question and one I find myself returning to every three months.
Background: I am currently gainfully employed and many would envy my position, although it is quite modest in the grand scheme of things - I am doing alright for someone in their mid-thirties (not wealthy but well enough).
I would say that specialization pays off from what I've seen but comes with great sacrifices to your health, social life, and mental well-being. That being said it is becoming increasingly hard to have a life of abundance without specializing so there will be issues to well-being even if you don't specialize.
This is why I do not really fall into politics, or get too worked up about the system. The system is definitely the best in the world, but we are not really free people who benefit from society equal to our contributions. But that is a tangent and I wouldn't really debate that here because it might flag me and when things turn, I don't want to be put in the goulash.
There are certain types of specializations. For example a general doctor is still a specialization even though it is not a "vertical specialization" within the medicine field, it is certainly more specialized than, let's say, a waiter.
What I notice though is that when I see a specialize, for example I had a root canal today and went to a specialist instead of my dentist, they do way better work....much much better. I mean you are talking about night and day here between root canals at a dentist versus a specialist who only does root canals. I happen to know the specialists who work in the tooth field and they all have mansions....I on the other hand, specialized moderately, and I am living in a condo with positive net earnings...we work about the same hours (sometimes I work more since I work for a corporation which requires me to work according to my bosses paradigm regardless of any "laws."
Not with regards to following your passion...unless you are going to make 1,000,000's following your passion really quickly, it might not be worth it. You see even if you are making 200k following your passion, if your passion is in a fickle field, that will go away quickly. For example SEO optimization. You could love doing that and be making 500k now but if search engines become obsolete you go to 0...and there will probably be something better than a search engine in the next ten years.
Same with art. I knew a girl that was drawing paintings that could rival Leonardo Da'Vinci and she couldn't sell it for $10.00. I knew another guy who bragged about how he basically just took a dump on a canvas but was the "it" guy and was making 500k...probably not anymore but he did one year. So passion and talent will not get you wealthy in the field of your passion. You will need other skills - such as being a good sales man. If you can't stomach lying to people to sell your passion in high risk fields, where selling is required since people don't need your products, then you can go into accounting and start an accounting practice which is pretty much the only really honest business you could hope to grow - except the part where the taxation is not moral at all as it is conducted...so you will be the devils right hand, but at least you will be an honest hand.
That being said....it's hard to figure out for sure...I wouldn't really take my advice here, I'm just showing you what I think about it....plus...if you really think about what your passion is, it will probably change. That is why I said you might want to ensure you are making 1,000,000 doing your passion over the course of a few years because if you're only making 100k your going to be miserable eventually, unless you are one of those people who is so singularly focused on stuff - like teaching, helping other - and you don't care too much about money.
But if you're asking the questions then you are probably wondering what is more effective in wealth building. Following your passion is ultra-mega-high risk. What is your risk appetite? Could you live with yourself if you follow your passion but don't have a pot to piss in? Then follow it. I could never take on that risk because part of my self-esteem comes from my ability to produce and provide and the way I was raised was to believe that I am only as useful as what I earn. Sad...I know, but not as sad as the plutocracy which spawned that culture.