As a full time performing musician I have the pleasure of playing music for people from all over the world. I play about 4-6 gigs per week on an island in the middle of the sea. Living in paradise is one thing, but making a living doing what you love while living in paradise? Priceless. 

However, while I am surrounded by magnificent scenery nothing is ALL rainbows and butterflies. 

In my experience there are Pros and Cons to every situation. I'd like to elaborate on this.

So lets start with the bad news shall we?

Doing what you love.

CONS:

1. Its really HARD.

Do what you love they said, It'll be fantastic they said. For every YES I've gotten 100 no's. Doing what you love is a gigantic privilege granted only with massive amounts of hard work. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you are "lucky" if you're out there doing what you love for a living, you surely worked your buns off to get there. 

2. You have to simultaneously care about what other people think while not caring about what other people think. Does that sentence even make sense? Let me explain: For example, Im a performing musician. My job is to entertain other people, therefore I have to care about what they think. I have to make sure I am doing my job by entertaining them and playing music they enjoy. At the SAME time, not everyone is going to like me, my music, or my style. They say you can be the ripest juiciest peach in the world, there is still going to be someone out there who doesn't like peaches. If someone doesn't like what you're doing thats fine. But you're gonna have to learn to decipher which opinions matter and which are irrelevant. You've got to care without caring if you know what I mean.

3. Drunk people. There is always that one drunk guy yelling "Freebird" when I ask if anyone has any requests. And while this con may only apply to my particular dream job you've got to take into consideration that the world is full of assholes and they aren't always drunk. For instance: (Hypothetically) You're pitching an amazing proposal to a group of people for your new business, then there's the "what if" guy in the background naysaying and shooting down all of your ideas. F that guy. Keep doing what you're doing. 

4. When your passion becomes your main source of income it can become stressful. When this happens, look at what you COULD be doing for money. I like to take a moment and realize that I am there playing my guitar for tourists instead of serving hipsters on taco tuesday with Mexican beer dripping down my leg.

5. Time management issues. When you are your own boss it can be hard to get motivated to meet personal deadlines. Take it from the biggest procrastinator ever: Ive been a performing musician for 10 years, I have a degree in audio engineering and I still haven't recorded my album yet! (Happening this dec by the way so stay tuned.)

PROS:

1. "Get a real job" Heard that one before? Guess what? This IS your real job! Because you didn't listen to all the naysayers!

2. Purpose. When your passion becomes your purpose, now that is one of the most gratifying feelings in the world. 

3. Happiness. Honestly, you landed your dream job. What more could you ask for?

4. Entrepreneurship. Most of us ended up doing what we loved because we hated all the jobs other people had for us. Being your own boss is pretty freakin amazing if you ask me. 

5. Freedom. While there are a lot of things in my life that take serious commitment to obtain or sustain: I have an amazing amount of freedom in my self made career. I can take a month off for christmas without an ear full from my boss. I don't have to deal with pesky customers or managers on a power trip etc. 

Basically: If you're out there busting ass doing what you love and you have moments of total breakdown the equivalent of Britney Spears in 2007 I'm here to tell you, you are not alone. Its not always easy, but its always worth it.

Keep jamming my friends.

-VP