“Just after college, I used to paint and sell my paintings. It was fun and I liked the extra income,” explained a professional deep into her career.
Did she still paint?
No.
Does she still have some of her paintings?
No.
She drifted away from a passion and talent that made her unique, for no apparent reason. I see this all the time.
Ask a business consultant what interests s/he has outside of work, and the odds are very high they will answer, “Family.”
I’d like to suggest that work and family aren’t enough to enable an ambitious person to be successful (and happy). You need something else that is truly immersive, that has the potential to pull you into the zone and 100% occupy your effort and focus.
Why? Because this sort of immersion is restorative. It feeds your mind, body and soul. It causes your brain to develop and maintain new neural pathways besides the ones that your current job requires.
It doesn’t matter whether your outside interest is playing the cello, training for a triathlon, or maintaining a vegetable garden. What matters is that it takes you into a completely different state of mind and that it brings you joy.