Guns N’ Roses are on a world tour, and they’ll be in Mumbai on the 17th of May. Interestingly, their tour has a peculiar and unusually long title: “Because what you want and what you get are two completely different things.”
Lately, my playlist has shifted gears—from the comforting tunes of country music, my usual go-to, to the electric energy of Guns N’ Roses. One song that really caught my ear is Paradise City, especially this iconic line:
“Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.”
Well, Axl Rose can sing that line with conviction and probably mean it too. But for corporate folks like me, where exactly is this paradise with green grass? (Let’s leave the latter part of that line untouched.)
I genuinely envy those who’ve turned their passion into a profession. To make a living out of doing what you love—what a dream! But I wonder, can someone truly get tired of doing what they love? Would a musician ever say, “This is my last song” and mean it forever? Most wouldn’t. They’d want to keep creating, singing, playing—fueled not just by passion, but by a stream of creative endorphins that wash away fatigue.
In the corporate world, however, things play out a little differently. It’s common to hear people complain about being overloaded with work. Some genuinely put in the effort and carry the weight, while others merely appear swamped—often as a tactic to get noticed. In many teams, you’ll find that 20% of the members end up doing the heavy lifting for the remaining 80%. We’ve seen all kinds.
Why do employees behave this way? Work, after all, is a mixed bag—fun at times, challenging sometimes, and occasionally frustrating. Even when you’re in a role you love, there will always be certain tasks you’d rather avoid. When you’re overwhelmed with those less enjoyable tasks, it can easily become irritating.
People approach this differently. Some are outcome-driven—they focus on the end result and push through to achieve closure. Others are more effort-focused—so when a task feels tedious or never-ending, they quickly grow frustrated. The same piece of work can feel rewarding to one and burdensome to another, depending on their mindset.
And yes, many times, what you want and what you get are two completely different things.
In my case, I consider myself lucky. I truly enjoy the work I do in training and coaching—developmental activities that give me a sense of fulfillment. But was this always the case? Not really. My first job was as a Technical Supervisor in the Plant Tech department of a large manufacturing company. I was there for five years. Honestly, I didn’t love the work so much, but what made me stay was the organizational culture and the camaraderie I shared with my colleagues.
Still, deep down, I yearned for a role that was more people-oriented, more interactive. That alignment finally came when I stepped into the world of learning and development. That’s when I began to enjoy what I was doing. Sometimes, you have to keep looking until you find something that resonates. And if it’s too late for that? Then perhaps it’s time to start loving what you do.
It’s easy to preach, hard to practice. I’ve seen mid-career professionals express frustration with their roles and industries, hoping to make a shift. Many are stuck between what they want and what they’ve settled for.
But if you’re fortunate enough to find that sweet spot—where passion meets profession—then you’re already in your own version of paradise city.
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