“The only way you can do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs

We live in a world that is driven by an intense desire to achieve success, but many of us fail to recognize what real success is. Some mistakenly equate success to the dollar amounts on their paychecks or the position titles on their doors, while others choose to define success as positively impacting the world and finding fulfillment through their passions. Why has it become more acceptable to settle for a secure job rather than to pursue our passions, where we would find ourselves happier and eager to contribute more?

There are many reasons why some find themselves stuck in a monotonous cycle. The Huffington Post stated that the most commonly used excuses were, “not being able to quit their day job, being unsure of what they are passionate about, not surrounding themselves with the right people and a fear of failure.”

What if technology had the ability to shift this paradigm into one that forced us to tap into our creativity and purpose? Recently, Singularity Hub posted an article predicting that, “ in the next 15-20 years, 47% of all existing employment is at risk for automation. Even more startling, there’s little to suggest new jobs will be created at the pace necessary to compensate for this loss.”

Although this may create a fear in some, it could be an opportunity to escape the monotonous cycle that’s preventing people from tapping into their talents. With the idea of technology having the ability to perform mundane tasks, comes the potential for expanded creativity and infinite innovations.

When we are able to pursue our passions and love what we do, it doesn’t feel like we are working at all. Maybe Confucius was right in saying, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That sounds like the true definition of success to me.