Los Angeles native Kehinde Wiley knew from a young age that he wanted to be an artist. But that didn't seem the most secure path for someone growing up on welfare with a single mom and six siblings. So even as he worked on his MFA at Yale-the launch pad for many generations of artists-he was aware that no trust fund would buoy him after graduation.
So Wiley always kept Plan B in mind: If he couldn't make a living as a painter, he would be a chef.
Fortunately for Wiley, he could stick to his painting palette. Now recognized as one of today's hottest young artists by gallerists and collectors as well as magazines like Vibe, Wiley, 29, actually makes a living-and a substantial one-doing what he loves. His works, which involve mostly young hip-hoppers posing against old European or floral backdrops, go for about $80,000 apiece these days. That leaves him more than enough to pay the rent and wages for a few assistants.
"I'm blessed to be in a place where I can actualize what's going through my head," says Wiley, barefoot and wearing a paint-riddled tank top and shorts in his Brooklyn studio. He casually mentions that Spike Lee recently stopped by to check out his offerings and speaks of trips to Poland, China, Nigeria, and Turkey to "internationalize" his work.
The Two Paths
Wiley is the exception-a star among the huddled masses living on Cup-a-Soup and hoping for a break from a gallery or collector. The truth is, dream jobs don't come easy, and the chances of rising to the very heights of your field are slim, especially for glamour jobs like actor, artist, athlete, or musician. E
ven the most talented, hard-working, and lucky among us aren't guaranteed a slot at the top. The unfortunate reality is that following your passions during work hours often isn't conducive to paying the bills.
But does that mean you must resign yourself to a life of compromises, Plan Bs, and a spirit-crushing daily grind? It all depends.
When it comes to your life's work, you can take one of two paths: You could be sure you're doing what you love and deal with the risks and low pay that could accompany it. Or you can work a day job that's tolerable and frees you up-and pays-enough to allow you to do what you want after work.
Following your passion can mean taking a chance, but for purists, unfulfilling day jobs aren't an option. What counts for them is practicing their craft, whether it's acting, basketball, singing, or designing.
The Sky's the Limit
The star system in American culture ensures that people in high-profile dream jobs like rock star, supermodel, and Hollywood actor will live luxuriously. Adoring audiences pay top dollar to watch these icons perform, and advertisers will pay even more to have them endorse their wares with a smile. The celebrity-driven economy of showbiz just isn't structured to nourish talent beneath the tier of stars.
Less flashy dream jobs like astronaut or ambassador pay a comfortable salary because so few people have the skills to do them. "Skilled workers command plenty of money because of their unique contributions. You can't train just anyone to do that work," says Marcel Legrand, senior vice-president of strategy & corporate development at the employment Web site Monster.com.
The pass rate for the U.S. foreign-service exam-required of all career diplomats-is a slim 2%. Since a lot of professions pay heavenly salaries to only a lucky few, the rest have to settle for a life without security-which
"A lot of prestigious or sexy fields have a bipolar pay structure," says Bill Coleman, senior vice-president of compensation at Salary.com, a company that studies pay. "A handful of people make incredible amounts of money while a lot of people are earning very little. A lot of these people hope to jump to the other bracket, but chances are slim."
'Growing Malaise'
The numbers are sobering. Want to be a film or theater director? You're looking at a $27,954 median national average, says Salary.com-a good distance from Steven Spielberg's estimated $330 million a year.
You would do slightly better as a fashion designer at an average of $41,387, but chances are you won't be in the company of designer Ralph Lauren, the billionaire chairman and CEO of his eponymous company, who earned $19 million in the financial year that ended Apr. 1, 2006, on top of a personal fortune estimated at almost $4 billion.
Artist? You're more likely to sell work sporadically and struggle for gallery representation than reach Wiley's level of comfort. Facing daunting odds, most people are more pragmatic and see a more traditional job as a way to pay the bills. But that route has its costs, too.
Americans are growing increasingly unhappy with their jobs, says Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's consumer-research center. The Board's most recent study, released in 2005, shows that about half of all Americans today say they're satisfied with their jobs, down steadily from 1995 when nearly 60% were. No wonder The Office, a TV sitcom that details the emptiness and absurdity of The Office Job, is such a hit with viewers.
"There's a growing malaise in the workplace," says Franco, who notes that satisfaction has declined among all ages and income groups. "It's partly that the demands of work have changed and there has been a blurring of the line between work and play. You're expected to be available 24/7, even on vacation."
Stagnating wages, costly health benefits, and a trend toward doing more work with less staff don't help the situation for many employees, Franco adds.
Other Avenues
If you're stuck, it may help to take a page from the book of those with dream jobs. They often share key traits: talent, passion, drive, and discipline. But they share another characteristic often overlooked: courage, says Mark Oldman, founder of the workplace Web site Vault.com. "Dream-job searchers have to shield their dreams from the haters and nay-sayers." Oldman points out that such people may seem like the voice of reason but they are actually an "emotional impediment," he says.
Finding more meaningful work won't happen overnight, but the search starts with simple steps. Monster's Legrand says before you jump to the next job, take time to study yourself. "It's so easy to access self-assessment information today," he says, pointing, for example, to the free self-test tools his site offers to help you figure out whether you're an entrepreneur, workaholic or team player.
"Get to know what personality type you are, your behavior traits and motivators, and how a wide variety of jobs could suit you," Legrand advises. So if you don't make it as a pro basketball player, maybe your competitive drive would make you an ace Wall Street trader. If you can't act or host your own talk show, maybe standing in front of 25 students each day would quench your thirst for performance. If you're not writing best sellers, work in publishing.
Human-resources gurus say that ultimately, what's most important is having a sense of purpose in your job-even if it's filling your pocket so you can fill your soul after work. So take heart: You may not be working your dream job, but at least you'll run free of the paparazzi mob.