Tash's Story
If you know Tash, then you are familiar with her burst of positive vibes and encouragement. It doesn't take long to learn that Tash is passionate about being there for people.
No, she is not a counselor, and no, she has zero plans to become one. But to be honest, she basically is a counselor. Except, she doesn't need a Master's degree. Plus, she's allowed to solve people's problems on their behalf. And it's not as emotionally draining. (I'm a massive advocate for counseling and therapy. But as someone who specialized in social psych, I enjoy teasing counseling psych every now and then 😉.)
There are multiple names for Tash's job: account manager, client relationship manager, customer success, and more. Tash's employer offers accounting services to other businesses. Having a business as a client (vs. an individual like you and me) is highly lucrative. So Tash's employer pays her the big bucks to keep their clients happy.
This is accomplished by building and maintaining relationships with clients. Tash checks in on them to make sure they are doing well. When they bring up concerns, she patiently listens and provides helpful solutions. Her goal is to be there for clients and alleviate their problems. She loves this!
Being there for people took a whole new meaning for Tash during the pandemic. Tash's philosophy is that everyone has a story to tell if you are willing to listen. During the lockdown, Tash had a lot of extra time to listen.
Not surprisingly, Tash's passion to lovingly be there for people comes from pain. Like many of us, she struggled in the past with feeling alone. Since she's naturally a bubbly and energetic person, few people suspected her inner troubles. This made Tash feel more isolated. On top of that, Tash wore the "I'm good!" mask and played a ruse. She worried people would love her less if she wasn't an upbeat, cheery person.
However, being there for people means seeing all the sides to a person -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- and saying that person is still loveable. Tash wants to foster an environment where people feel safe to be themselves no matter what season they're in.
So with this kind of passion, why isn't Tash a counselor? Tash adamantly shares your income-creating career does not have to perfectly match your passions. For Tash, only the underlying nature of her job (which is being there for clients) matches her passion.
Instead of feeling defensive or attacked, Tash empathetically listens to her clients' struggles. She validates their experiences. Then Tash offers suggestions and advice. Then together, they agree upon a solution. Tash only helps clients with their corporate needs. Yet, when clients are happy with the results, Tash experiences the same euphoria of helping a friend with personal troubles.
Tash's career isn't her passion. But by carrying her passion into her career, Tash finds her job meaningful. This creative solution also allows Tash to have the emotional energy for her friends and family after work. So yes, Tash loves her job, and yes, there are insightful ways to incorporate your passions into an activity you have to endure for 40 hours a week.
To contact Tash and learn more about this story, follow @tasha_sawyer90 on Instagram.