More Than A Paycheck - A Passion

Recently, there were two deaths in the news that caught my attention and engaged my emotions. One was the passing of Captain Phil Harris, a 54-year old crab fishing boat captain featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch”. The other, more violent and tragic, was the accidental death of 40-year old Sea World marine biologist and trainer Dawn Brancheau. Both Captain Phil and Dawn Brancheau could probably have avoided their untimely deaths by changing their professions in order to avoid obvious risk. But all accounts are that they loved their work, understood the risks inherent in their professional lives, and wouldn’t have considered abandoning the careers they loved to sidestep danger. Captain Phil Harris, Captain of the Cornelia Marie, was a chain-smoking, sleep-deprived, stressed-to-the max adrenaline junkie. His lifestyle made his health a ticking time bomb. You know he knew all the risks of crab fishing in the Bering Sea; but he faced them headlong, refusing to compromise on how he lived his life. Captain Phil suffered a stroke while offloading a boatload of crab. A few days later, after being able to spend some time with his family and friends, he passed away. Rest in peace, Captain. Dawn Brancheau’s sister, Diane Gross, said about her sister’s drowning by a killer whale, "Words can't describe the loss that we suffered today, but she lived a full life and she lived life to the fullest.” Her family said she aspired to working with killer whales since her first trip to SeaWorld at 9 years of age. The position she held there for 16 years was her dream job, and Dawn was regarded as highly experienced and at the peak of her field. To her husband, Scott Brancheau, and the rest of Dawn’s family – I am so sorry for your terrible loss. We haven’t all experienced the passion for our careers lived by Captain Phil and Dawn. Yet we work hard for long hours over many years, sacrificing time with our families, and stressing our health to move forward and be “successful”. In the memory of those who died doing what they love, let’s all make time to think about how we can change things to be more in love with what we do. Work is more than a means to a paycheck; it’s a big part of personal fulfillment. Don’t settle for less than finding and exercising your passions through your career. Life is too short.