A Life Strategy from the Sidelines of a Soccer Story

Do What You Love (Even If It’s Not What Pays You)

That’s me in the middle of the photo — proud mom, happy camper, watching part of our family cheer on a Whitecaps game.

But here’s the real story…

My son and my son-in-law met when they were 13.
Soccer wasn’t a hobby — it was a heartbeat.
They literally slept with their soccer balls under their blankets.
They took bumps, bruises, scrapes, and heartbreaks that most kids never experience.

They loved it.
And they loved it enough to suffer for it.

That love took them to the Canadian National Team at 15.
It took them across continents.
It took them into professional play, university scholarships, new cultures, and eventually… into building careers in coaching and a successful business on the side.

But this isn’t their story to tell — it’s theirs.

What I want to talk about is this:
They didn’t chase a career. They followed a love.

And that’s where most people get confused.

We tell kids, “Find something you love and get paid for it.”
But real life isn’t always that clean.
Sometimes you do something you love for free.
Sometimes you do something for money so you can afford what you love.
Sometimes the two merge. Sometimes they don’t.

The key isn’t to turn passion into a paycheck.
The key is to never stop doing what lights you up.

Because here’s the strategy truth:

Happy people contribute more.
Fulfilled people lead better.
Passion fuels success in every direction — whether or not it pays the bills.

I’ve done paid work I love.
I’ve done unpaid work I loved just as much.
I’ve been home when my kids needed me.
I’ve built businesses, supported others in theirs, and kept meaning at the center — not the paycheck.

You don’t need to monetize your joy to keep it.
And you don’t need to sacrifice your joy to make money.

Just don’t stop doing what you love.
Not for status.
Not for pressure.
Not for someone else’s expectations or timelines.

Let your career fund your joy.
Let your joy fuel your life.

That’s the strategy.
That’s the win.
That’s the game worth playing.

And some days, you’ll find yourself exactly where I am in this photo — smiling wide, heart full, proud of the choices you made.

Not because they paid perfectly.
But because they aligned beautifully.

Alignment is everything! The Key Element in the ThinkStrategy Shift!

Play the game worth playing! Enjoy the journey – Devi