After years of playing around with right livelihood concepts, I’ve come to the conclusion that for some individuals, right livelihood is poisoned with the residue of duty. Doing what they love IS, for many, something like sticking with a drab marriage for the kids’ sake.

For many years, I was a personal fitness trainer. I loved my life while doing it but, notably, didn’t LOVE my work. Exercise, sports, and fitness had been a part of my life since childhood. I enjoyed sharing what I knew with others, helping them with their health and happiness. The emotion surrounding it was calmer and easier than anything I’d call “passion” or “love.”

Andrea, I think it is hard to rationalize oneself into a want. A want is simple: I want a beer right now. I want some ice cream. I don’t want to get up at the crack of dawn. I want to work with people I like. Love is loaded with the notion that it is worth sacrificing wants for.

“Want” actually describes it better. I LIKED exercising. I LIKED teaching. I WANTED to spend my time in the gym not behind some desk or computer and to have friendly relationships with clients rather than stuffy ones with high-powered colleagues.

Interestingly enough, some of the biggest critics of my career choice, the ones who insisted I must have some higher calling to make use of my “talents” or “intelligence” were – you guessed it – the “right livelihood” crew.