Many of us are passionate fans in one or more areas of our non-work lives but few of us have managed to make a career out of a beloved hobby. There’s a new book out called Fan to Pro:Â Unlocking Career Insights With Your Hobbies that attempts to leverage our passionate interests for both self-insight and actual money-making career development. I bought the eBook yesterday for $5.95 and am several chapters into it already – reading in iBooks on my iPhone and iPad.
This is a great read for any independent knowledge professional. The author, Steven Savage, argues that we should take our hobbies more seriously. Our passionate hobbies tell us about ourselves. They point to a source of energy and self-motivation that would serve us well in our career efforts if channeled there and not kept on the sidelines.
Savage is a technology enthusiast in the extreme. He is and has been making his living in his field of choice for quite some time now. He believes that too many of us regard our passionate interests as too much fun to be something we can do for a living. The book is really well-done and reflects a multi-year effort.
As industries and job categories sink or swim in today’s unruly economy, many of us are in an inquiry about the direction of our careers. If you can’t be sure how viable a particular career path may be in an unpredictable future, make sure that your chosen path reflects your abilities, interests and values since that is something you can figure out. Then, boldly go forth seeking your way armed with self-knowledge.
Fan to Pro comes to grips with the complexities of career choice. Savage helps you look at your strengths, the obstacles you might face in converting your passion into a career and the hard work you will be in for. He doesn’t gloss over the challenges. That’s what makes this book different from the dozens of career and business books that just tell you what you want to hear.
Thanks to Innowen at DIY Planner for reviewing Fan to Pro. Good find!
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