Office Hand by Day; Rock Diva by Night
See how some hard-core hobbies are helping people become better at their jobs.
Jan. 10, 2009— -- Superheroes and super spies are famous for leading double lives. They're mild-mannered as can be by day, but when night falls, a whole new side comes out.
Job satisfaction is not necessarily first and foremost on people's minds these days. Unemployment is at its highest since 1993 and those with stable jobs are not eager to leave a steady paycheck to pursue their life's passion.
Dreams are easier to pursue when financial times are more certain.
But, you don't have to quit your day job to pursue a passion. Job satisfaction is not the primary reason to develop a passion outside of your career. Even if one is experiencing success there might be that lingering feeling of something missing.
Career expert Tory Johnson of Women for Hire, told "Good Morning America" that most people will say that they have a dream of doing something a little different. "They are worried that they've achieved such a level of success in their career and that success comes with a paycheck they can't afford to give up. So, a lot of times we're on this treadmill that we have to keep up with and continue to maintain and that often keeps us from pursuing our real passion."
Some people in the work force are striking a near-perfect balance.
Menesa Prichett is the interactive planning manager for Fineliving.com. "This work is really fulfilling for me because I get to be creative in brand new ways. While I love it, it is not 100 percent fulfilling because I have this musical side that has to come out."
To remedy the longing for a musical outlet, Pritchett found Kill Will, a hard rock band that needed a lead singer. Now she spends her time away from work playing music she loves. She'd never been in a band before but knew she could sing and wanted to belt out tunes by her favorite rocker idols, Chrissie Hynde and Stevie Nicks.
Just before the first time Pritchett hit the stage she felt butterflies in her stomach. Before she could chicken out she said, "Oh no. You are not going to get nervous. This is what you've always wanted to do. You need to shut up, and we're gonna go out there and have a good time." And that she has.
When someone is pursuing a passion and creating balance in their life they tend to have a little extra glow. Employers benefit from that balance. "Every employer wants someone who loves life, who's happy to wake up and face their day. So, if you can pursue something on the side, even if it has no connection to your day to day job it often means your employer gets someone who's a more successful, happier person," says Johnson.
