Recently I had the chance to talk to the one and only Santa about a topic that’s near and dear to all of us: Finding our career passion.
We learned that, just like the rest of us, it took Santa awhile to discover his true calling. He actually started is Dream Career as a Side-Hustle.
If you missed Part 1 of my interview, you can read it here.
I asked Santa more about taking the plunge from full-time work to his passion job, and what advice he has for anyone who might be considering such a move.
Here’s Part 2 of my conversation with Santa, aka, Carl Anderson, a Psychologist from Austin, Texas.
Was there a point at which you realized you were more interested in a career as Santa than in your full-time job as Psychologist?
Yes, it did get to a point where I had to make a decision between being a full-time Psychologist and Santa.
In a way, Santa limited my Psychology career choices. I realized I could not go into private practice and continue my work as Santa – it was almost impossible to leave clients who may need me for 5-6 weeks over the holidays. Whether you’re in my line of work or another job, it’s difficult to find employers willing to let you leave for six weeks.
What made your decision to pursue your dream job easier?
I had enough experience at both careers – Psychology and Santa – to know that I enjoyed the role of Santa more. This is a key point to keep in mind for anyone who might be considering a career change: Try it before you completely make the switch.
It’s also important to remember that I’d had success in both fields; I was not stepping out blindly. NorthPark Center had been bringing me to Dallas, and I had some confidence in this arrangement.
What advice would you give to people who are considering leaving a full-time job to pursue a passion job or “Side-Hustle”?
Just like buying a new sleigh, it’s important to “test drive” the passion job first. Initially I took on the role of Santa only to help pay for my graduate studies. Remember, I was amused by this interest in my resemblance to Santa Claus. It was a great way for me to earn some money and ultimately determine if this was a role/job I enjoyed. I found I enjoyed many aspects of it, including storytelling, which is a related skill and led to even more roles.
Note: Not only should you enjoy your Side Hustle, but the job needs to be financially sound before you leave your full-time job. Do the math and make sure the dream job is sustainable. If not, maybe it’s still something you enjoy doing on the side for extra money.
What would you tell someone who is struggling to find their passion when it comes to work?
Be open to other interests! When you were young, what did you imagine doing, but didn’t follow up on? Dust off that idea and see if there’s something to it, or even if you can use those skills towards an idea that’s relevant today.
More than anything, be willing to try something part-time while you’ve got other income to see what might be of interest. Look at skills you use in your current job and see what might transfer into a new field of interest. Many of our skills are transferable if we look at them.
Santa, that is so true! The hard part, of course is determining how to marry your interests and skills with another field of work.
Yes, that’s why it’s important to take time to consider all the possibilities. Write down a list of current skills. Write down a list of things that interest you – going back to include those things from childhood I mentioned earlier. Do some investigating or research to see how your skills and interests might intersect. Talk to others! Ask a trusted colleague what they see as your best skills. Brainstorm possible ideas, with no idea being too outrageous. Once again, the point is to be open to new ideas. When you determine your interests, skills, and passions, you will start to understand how you might be able to use those towards a fulfilling career.
Look at me; in the beginning I was simply “amused” by the fact that people thought I resembled Santa. Once I explored the idea, a world of possibilities opened up and I discovered a new career that I love.
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Great advice, Santa. So inspiring; something we can put into practice right now.
And on that note, we’ll let Santa get back to work. The kids are waiting patiently for his arrival at NorthPark Center. It’s story time, you know.
Note: This conversation was not recorded, therefore quotes attributed to Santa/Carl are based on my notes and memory, and may not be 100% accurate.
Like Tami, I was terminated once (By my best friend, BTW – he is now on the board of the agency I lead, so I got him back – ha!), but you don’t have to be unemployed to learn something from this book. 
