Are you doing what you really love?

MOST times, when seeking inspiration for what to contribute to this column, I reflect on conversations with people, or on past events. I also surf on the Internet to find out what is generally going on in the world. One of these food-for-thought platforms is the TEDTalks website, from which many an article have inspired me.I was trawling through the Web once more, and was stopped in my tracks by some video titled, “Are You Doing What You Really Love?” In a nutshell, the new workforce in the global market today is represented by what is known as the Millennials. They’re also known as Generation Y, or globalists, or whatever new-age term people are using for them. What piqued my curiosity about this video, was the way in which it portrayed how the Millennial generation works, and how this aspect is influencing today’s global working population – Rwanda notwithstanding. Born between the 80s and the 90s, they comprise today’s global working population. Said to currently number 2.3 billion worldwide, over half of these Millennials have their own businesses and due to their digital, liquid and collective mindset – are affecting the way people produce and work in the future. Their work environments are mostly non-linear, non-hierarchical and autonomous, compared to those of their predecessors in the 60s and the 70s, whose work environments were steeped in routine and based on one’s years of professional experience. Known as “Baby Boomers,” this earlier working generation was characterised by never-ending hours behind a desk, with a deep sense of discipline and personal sacrifice. Choosing a particular career meant that you followed it for the rest of your life.From the Baby Boomers emerged a new global workforce in the 80s and 90s, which was known as “Generation X.” This working generation was typified by young, competitive, extroverted and super-confident professionals. Climbing the ranks in a company was not the result of years of experience, but rather, because of a profitable idea and the reliance on MBAs and PhDs. Think ENRON.Being a workaholic was considered admirable, and Generation X redefined the relationship between work and reward. A source of achievement was who could get onto the Board of Directors in the shortest time possible. Lots of pressure, lots of professional rivalry.Today, all this is quickly changing. The Millennials have ushered in a different journey. It seems more important to have fun on the ride, than to make it to the final destination. Unlike Generation X where success meant being young and rich; to the Millennials success equals pleasure. We live today in an increasingly creative economy and a boom in entrepreneurship. It is only fitting that a global workforce scenario emerges to reflect all this. Millennials are impatient, and characterised by the speed at which they connect to the world. Constant challenges, constant motivation and mental stimulation are key ingredients in the successful implementation of their work. Millennials are excited about working with an older generation, but only if it is based on mutual respect. After all, it is all about exchanging knowledge, no matter the age.In the end, professional commitment is not just a “to-do”, but the result of truly loving and being passionate about what you do. This mind-set is permeating different societies, and my question is – how far has it spread in Rwanda? Right now, are you doing what you really love?