“Doowutchyalike.”

– Digital Underground

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself sick in bed. Horrible congestion, a bit of a fever, and not an ounce of energy- I couldn’t even stand up straight without having to catch my breath.

Now, if this happened to me five years ago, it would have meant absolutely zero productivity coming from Camp Kaufman. It would have meant hours of going through the most random Reddit subreddits I could find (I’m looking at you, r/PotatoSalad). It would have meant tons of time spent analyzing my fantasy football teams (just how does one get in the playoffs after losing Le’veon Bell, Arian Foster, and Steve Smith?). Ultimately, it would have meant me doing each and every thing possible to not have anything to do with my job.

This time though, it was different. Instead of hunkering down in my bed with a remote control and a bottle of cold medicine, I…I worked through it?

Not only did I work through it, but I enjoyed working through it. I worked through my sickness not because I had to, but because I wanted to. It meant I spent hours in my booth, excited to hit ‘record’ and provide my clients with some top-shelf voiceover. It meant hours of continuing education, through podcasts, webinars, blogs- whatever I could get my hands on. Ultimately, it meant me doing each and every thing possible to have everything to do with my job.

But then again, when you love something so much, I guess it isn’t really just a job anymore, but a passion, and that’s a pretty awesome feeling to have.

So, if you feel yourself toeing the line, how do you figure out if you’re sleepwalking through a job or pursuing your passion?

DRUGS!

Wait…let me rephrase that.

Just wait until you get sick. Your sick self never lies, especially when it’s hopped up on NyQuil.