As the search for work/life balance grows increasingly elusive, personal passions and interests often take a backseat to professional work. Lee Nadler, the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Advertising Club of New York, has found happiness by merging his passion for philanthropy with his career. Here, in his words, is his story.

We all have lives outside of the workplace.  Many of us also have “passion projects” (not to be confused with “side hustles”), an activity that we voluntarily take on in our spare time. These days, most bosses recognize that people’s lives are multifaceted. And most companies appreciate employees learning additional skills, especially with the tight budgets for training programs.  However, some companies or bosses do not support interests beyond the organization. That can make pursuing a passion difficult. Here are three steps to make your passions work for you.

Identify Your Passion

I joined the Ad Club over 25 years ago to build my network and continue learning. Surprisingly, the Club also helped me to recognize and develop a personal passion of helping others. I formed a committee of Ad Club Young Pros to provide free advertising for local non-profit organizations. Helping these groups made me feel good. Heading the committee also gave me confidence as a leader and led to a surprising outcome at work.

One day, I learned that the agency where I was working at the time, K&B, created a pro-bono campaign each year. I took the step to share what I was doing at the Ad Club with the founders, Richard Kirshenbaum and Jon Bond. Their reaction stunned me. Not only were they supportive, they were also smart to leverage my knowledge and passion for the agency’s benefit. As a junior account person, they assigned me to lead the next campaign, protecting NYC’s water supply for the non-profit, RiverKeeper, headed by Robert Kennedy Jr. 

I learned from that experience to lean into the things that I care about.

Follow Your Passion

In 1998, I was living in Japan and Australia, launching DoubleClick. On my way back to the US, I joined an expedition in the Himalayas, supporting the non-profit organization Outward Bound. In Katmandu we met our guides the Sherpas. My life hasn’t been the same since. During the ten day trek on the Annapurna trail, I felt a unique spirit from the Sherpas: a rare combination of power and humility, an ability to separate ego from reality and a quiet confidence that motivated people past seemingly insurmountable obstacles. I saw the hardship of their living conditions, but they were so positive. I was determined to not only hold onto this approach, but to learn more and emulate it in leading others. I eventually named the consulting firm I founded, Sherpa Marketing.

We have more capacity than we realize. When you identify a passion, follow it.  You may not know where it will lead. But if you don’t pursue passions, you may miss a chance to improve yourself and potentially others, including your company.

Share Your Passion

In 2012, I went back to Mt. Everest for a month, where I interviewed nearly 50 Sherpas, started a blog TheSherpaPath.com, and supported several Nepalese non-profits. On April 25, 2015 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people. Moments before I was to go on stage at the Outdoor Advertising Association of America conference in San Diego, my friend Karma Sherpa called me and told me of the devastation. Before my speech about out of home marketing, I took a moment to tell the audience what happened and invited them to help through a Nepalese non-profit. Not only did attendees make donations, an agency in the crowd quickly created an ad and several companies donated billboards and digital signage to promote the fundraiser. Together, money was raised to rebuild a school and several homes in Karma’s remote village.

Share your passions, at the right time with people who may be able to add to it and take it to places you didn’t even imagine.

By pursuing your passions and your work, you bring your full self. Over the years I have supported dozens of wonderful organizations, met amazing people and enhanced my expertise related to what is now called, “purpose based marketing.”  Sometimes these initiatives support my career.  Every time, they feed my soul.