Anyone made a career out of their passion ?.

[WatchWeb]

I've loved watches since I was about 7, mainly Rolex's.

Like most of you, I could spot a model from a few feet away.

I'm in a job which I don't really enjoy which I'm sure a few of you guys n girls are also.

I know just being able to spot a Rolex model isn't enough but the passion is there.

Just wondered if anyone else had this from a young age and who has put their passion & skills to good use & set up shop or got themselves trained to open up & fix a Rolex / other models ?.

I would love it.

[FeelingTheBlues]

I'm currently studying to become a watchmaker, my passion for watches (not only Rolex, all of them!) got to the point where I wanted to really work with them and repair or service mechanical movements of all kinds! I've been in my school since September and do not regret it at all but thinking of making this a career and actually doing it is quite different, I really enjoy working on small parts even if it can be very hard but I've heard of people being disappointed with the choice once they got to actually work on them, sometimes it's much more than just taking a watch apart and putting some oil here and there.

[Time Exposure]

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

He's a real-estate agent now.

[rolio]

Originally Posted by Time Exposure

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

He's a real-estate agent now.

No truer words have been spoken

[Delboygolf]

Very true,I'm a golf club professional! Golf bores me now!

[dogguru]

I was a and still am a collector after 23 years as a watchmaker . My tastes have changed but I still love being at the bench . I think its a matter of continuing to learn and challenge yourself that keeps it fun and rewarding

[patton26]

Originally Posted by Time Exposure

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

He's a real-estate agent now.

X2. If watches became my profession how would I spend my hard earned money?

[Grumpy Badger]

Originally Posted by Time Exposure

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

He's a real-estate agent now.

Spot on.

I'm a professional horseman and have been for a long time. I'm often told how lucky I am but it's hard cold dirty dangerous work and it's getting harder all the time to make ends meet. It probably still beats a boring desk job with a boss I hate but all the fun has long since disappeared...

[Angrypuppy]

Originally Posted by Time Exposure

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

He's a real-estate agent now.

Another

I'm an airline pilot. Flying started as a hobby because I enjoyed it. After ~20 years it is now just work.

I have been off since March 12th. I go back to work tomorrow after a month off. I really have no interest in going to fly tomorrow.

Keep your hobby your hobby.

[shofzr]

I have loved watches since I was about 5 years old (36ish now), I have been a certified watchmaker for 15 years and I still love it.

[tinger]

I aspired to be a photojournalist/documentary photographer.
Took me 15+ years to realize my eyes aren't good enough to be with the elites in the field. Now I sit behind a desk watching numbers blink.

[mcavana]

Originally Posted by Time Exposure

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

He's a real-estate agent now.

This is exactly what I was going to say. I once made the mistake of trying to turn a favorite hobby into a business...

No matter what it is, as soon as you cross that line, it is no longer a hobby. The unthinkable happens. It becomes something you simply no longer like to do.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by mcavana

This is exactly what I was going to say. I once made the mistake of trying to turn a favorite hobby into a business...

No matter what it is, as soon as you cross that line, it is no longer a hobby. The unthinkable happens. It becomes something you simply no longer like to do.

Not true, I still love what I do.

[ecsub44]

I love my job...but it's not my "passion" or my "hobby"...nor do I want it to be!

[joe100]

I used to love airplanes.

When people find out I'm an air traffic controller all they want to do is discuss aviation. The last thing I want to do is relive my day or try to explain how the airspace system works. You're right, turn your passion into a career and it'll kill it

[Lumberjact]

There might be some exceptions. I know a few professional rugby players whose jobs are training sessions during the week and match every weekend or so. They can't get enough of it. Their hobby became their job and they love it. Even those in their twilight years would rather be playing than not.

Find your passion in life and you'll never work a day again...

[Magic-Matt]

Enjoyed reading the different views and opinions on here... interesting! Especially as I am just in the process of going through the afore mentioned change mysefl! Lol

I have been in IT Consulting for 13 years. Got into it by chance as was always savvy with computers and didnt really know what I wanted to do with my life.

A year ago I made a decision, that IT Consulting was for sure NOT what I wanted to continue doing for the rest of my life. I thought long and hard about what new path to take, read books, talked to people... and yes, you guessed it, finally I decided to start turning my hobby into my career!

I am in fact interested in maybe meeting a business partner that is also just starting out, or thinking of doing so... so far I love this! I mean think of it this way, Imagine having all those watches in stock and being able to wear any one of them any time you like... always getting bargain upgrades and making money while flipping!

Seriously, Im interested to hear from anyone about this... PM me or e-mail me. You can see the Web Im currently developing here:

www.PLRwatches.com

[MovieGuy]

I love timepieces. That's why I work at an AD.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by Time Exposure

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

He's a real-estate agent now.

I guess that depends on how you see your passion.

I must say that becoming a watchmaker is more to me than only watches (although it has a whole lot of things to do with that). I used to study history at an University and although I enjoyed it I couldn't see myself doing this to earn a living, I wanted to work with my hands and create or repair things.

What I study right now is quite a big mix of a lot of things I wanted to do in life, not only do I get to work on movements and mechanisms but I also got to make my very own tools and found those exercises just as interesting, the simple fact that I could create something out of a metal plate or rod made me realize the amount of things that this formation and this profession could make me do. I guess it always depends on the person.

[George Ab]

This one of the best schools in the US. https://northseattle.edu/programs/wa...logy-institute

It is the only one the West Coast in the US that has an alliance with the Swiss American Watchmaker’s Training Alliance (SAWTA). Rolex contributes 1 million a year to the program. I am sure there are others in the UK, but a good two year program give you a leg up.

[landroverking]

Find a job you love and never work again!

[sierra11b]

Originally Posted by Time Exposure

The advice I was given years ago by an enthusiast-turned-watchmaker:

"The surest way to kill your passion is to make it your profession."

A friend of the family who does remarkable wood working told my father the same thing but think it depends just how demanding the work is...

I took up my passion with food at a young age to eventually become a chef. I now run a hotel, teach at a culinary school and cater to a local billionaire whenever asked. If you want to suck all the fun out of something try teaching to people that have no business getting into the industry!

Back when I started I was fresh, innovative, and always in the spot light with the fine dining restaurant scene here in California. But it was daunting work staying on top of my game which almost cost my marriage.

I can still cook with the best of them but find myself not caring about who's who considering my comfortable setting now. I often find myself feeling sorry for the latest aspiring chef on the scene when I crack the local paper and find myself occasionally opening a food magazine just to stay current on trends.

[AzPaul]

I'm not that crazy about my job anymore but at this point in my life, a drastic change would be more difficult and more risky than I'm willing to subject myself my to. I used to love the challenge of my job and the fact that I was making other people's lives better, and to some degree I still do, but for the most part, going to work has become a means to an end.

Not the worst thing in the world, mind you, I know I have it better than many, but still, not exactly the home stretch (work-wise) I envisioned when I was starting out.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Not true, I still love what I do.

Buying scooters . . . .

HAGOne Mon

[wantonebad]

Not sure I buy this "passions become drudgery once you make them your profession" stuff, it's individual for sure. I can see someone pursuing their "passion" for a number of years and then either through personal growth or reality setting in that passion becomes less interesting, that's life. But you can't tell me that Hank Haney doesn't love golf or teaching. You can't tell me that James Watson didn't have a passion for science and mapping human DNA. You can't tell me that John D. Rockefeller didn't want to take over the world in the early part of the 20th century! You get my point, if people didn't pursue their passions we'd all be living in caves...

GEEZ! :FACEPALM:

Need to talk to Steve about getting this smiley added!

[sierra11b]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Not sure I buy this "passions become drudgery once you make them your profession" stuff, it's individual for sure. I can see someone pursuing their "passion" for a number of years and then either through personal growth or reality setting in that passion becomes less interesting, that's life. But you can't tell me that Hank Haney doesn't love golf or teaching. You can't tell me that James Watson didn't have a passion for science and mapping human DNA. You can't tell me that John D. Rockefeller didn't want to take over the world in the early part of the 20th century! You get my point, if people didn't pursue their passions we'd all be living in caves...

GEEZ! :FACEPALM:

Need to talk to Steve about getting this smiley added!

I still love food, drink and cooking. But I'm absolutely finished with the politics and have no ambition to dominate the scene anymore. I blame the food network

[daveathall]

I always wanted to be a professional soldier, so thats what I am.

[gulfstream69xr7]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Not sure I buy this "passions become drudgery once you make them your profession" stuff, it's individual for sure. I can see someone pursuing their "passion" for a number of years and then either through personal growth or reality setting in that passion becomes less interesting, that's life. But you can't tell me that Hank Haney doesn't love golf or teaching. You can't tell me that James Watson didn't have a passion for science and mapping human DNA. You can't tell me that John D. Rockefeller didn't want to take over the world in the early part of the 20th century! You get my point, if people didn't pursue their passions we'd all be living in caves...

GEEZ! :FACEPALM:

Need to talk to Steve about getting this smiley added!

My wife is a high school advanced scineces teacher. She teaches high level science courses to upper echelon students.

Science, particularly Biology, has always been her passion. She occasionally gets frustrated by politics and administrative problems, but she aboslutely loves teaching young people the subjects that are so important to her.

I make considerably more money than she does, but I envy her for being able to impart her passion to the next generation.

[gmh1013]

Like Peter Gibbons.....my life's ambition is/was to sit on my ass all day and do nothing...
which seven years ago my dream came true.

[Runnin' Rebel]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

I'm currently studying to become a watchmaker, my passion for watches (not only Rolex, all of them!) got to the point where I wanted to really work with them and repair or service mechanical movements of all kinds! I've been in my school since September and do not regret it at all but thinking of making this a career and actually doing it is quite different, I really enjoy working on small parts even if it can be very hard but I've heard of people being disappointed with the choice once they got to actually work on them, sometimes it's much more than just taking a watch apart and putting some oil here and there.

I can't wait until I'm able to send you my ROLEX