Follow your Passion — BS
We’re often told from a young age that we can be anything we want to be, that we should follow our dreams and passions. And while that advice can be inspiring, it can also be limiting and even harmful.
The reality is, not everyone knows what their dream is. Not everyone has a clear passion they can pursue. For those who do, the path towards achieving that dream can be murky and filled with obstacles. It’s not as simple as just following your heart.
Furthermore, even if we do know what we want to do, the road towards success can be challenging and unpredictable. We may face setbacks, competition, and even failure. In these moments, it can be easy to become discouraged and give up on our dreams altogether.
But what if instead of focusing on our passions and dreams, we focused on practical steps towards success? What if we set achievable goals and worked tirelessly towards them, even if they weren’t our ultimate dream?
By focusing on practical steps, we can build confidence and momentum. We can learn from our successes and failures along the way, becoming better equipped to face whatever challenges come our way. This approach can lead to unexpected opportunities and passions we never even knew we had.
Rachel, a passionate artist who has been drawing since she was a child. Her art is her escape from the world, and she spends every spare moment creating beautiful pieces that reflect her innermost thoughts and feelings. Rachel has always dreamed of making a career out of her art, but she’s hesitant to take the leap.
After finishing art school, Rachel gets a job in a marketing firm as a graphic designer. She loves the work and excels at it, but she can’t help feeling like something is missing. She starts taking on freelance design projects in her spare time to make extra money, but it’s not enough to satisfy her creative drive.
One day, a friend asks Rachel to create a custom piece of art for her home. Rachel pours her heart and soul into the project, and her friend is blown away by the result. Word of mouth spreads, and soon Rachel is getting requests for custom art from all over the city.
Excited by the prospect of making money doing what she loves, Rachel quits her job and starts her own art business. But as the demands of running a business start to pile up, Rachel finds herself struggling to find time to create art for herself. The joy and passion that used to fuel her artwork start to fade, replaced by the stress and pressure of running a business.
Rachel realizes that her passion for art has turned into a job, and she’s no longer finding the same joy in it that she used to. She starts to worry that she’s lost her creative spark forever.
After taking some time to reflect, Rachel makes a difficult decision to step back from the business side of things and focus on her art once again. She starts creating for the sake of creating, without worrying about making money or pleasing clients. Slowly but surely, the passion and joy return to her art, and she rediscovers the spark that had driven her all along.
Rachel learns that making her passion into a career may have been her dream, but it wasn’t necessarily the right path for her. It’s okay to have a separate job to pay the bills while pursuing her passion on the side. And most importantly, she realizes that true passion comes from within, and it can’t be forced or manufactured for the sake of making money.
This example illustrates the importance of focusing on practical steps towards success, rather than just blindly pursuing our passions. It’s not about giving up on our dreams, but rather, it’s about taking a realistic and strategic approach towards achieving them.
The Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic, also has a powerful message about pursuing success. In the epic, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, “Your right is to work only, but never to the fruit thereof. Let not the fruit of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction” (Bhagavad Gita, 2:47). The message here is that we should focus on the work itself, not on the outcome. If we do our best and work hard, the results will come naturally.
while pursuing our dreams and passions can be inspiring, it’s not always practical. Instead, we should focus on practical steps towards success, taking risks and learning from our failures along the way. As Lord Krishna said in the Mahabharata, our duty is to work hard and do our best, without attachment to the outcome. By doing so, we may discover our true passions and achieve success beyond our wildest dreams.
It’s important to remember that pursuing your passion doesn’t mean you’re limited to one thing for the rest of your life. Our interests and passions can evolve over time, and it’s okay to explore new avenues and try new things. In fact, staying in one place for too long can become monotonous and boring, and it’s important to keep our lives exciting and adventurous.
As Chip and Dan Heath wrote in their book “Switch,” it’s not just about achieving a goal, but also enjoying the process. They use the metaphor of the elephant and the rider, where the elephant represents our emotions and the rider represents our rational side. If the rider wants to go in a certain direction but the elephant isn’t motivated, the rider will struggle to make any progress. Therefore, it’s important to find ways to enjoy the process and keep the elephant motivated along the way.
Life is a journey full of twists and turns. It’s easy to get stuck in a routine and forget that there is a whole world of possibilities out there waiting for us to explore. But sometimes, taking a leap of faith and trying something new can be scary. The fear of failure can hold us back from pursuing our passions and living a truly fulfilling life.
However, I want to remind you that failure is not the end. It’s merely a stepping stone towards success. Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things. Embrace the challenges and setbacks that come with it. It’s through these experiences that we learn, grow, and become the best version of ourselves.
If you’ve been doing something for a long time and find yourself wanting to try something new, don’t be afraid to make a change. It’s not a failure to leave behind something that no longer fulfills you. It’s a courageous act of self-discovery and a step towards a more fulfilling life.
Remember the wise words of Chip and Dan Heath in their book “Switch”: “Enjoy the process as much as the outcome”. Life is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the ride and don’t be afraid to switch things up along the way. After all, it’s in the moments of uncertainty and adventure that we truly discover our passions and purpose in life. So don’t just make a living, make a life. Embrace the adventure, take risks, and never let the fear of failure hold you back from pursuing your dreams.
In the end, don’t let the pursuit of money overshadow your passion for life. As the famous quote by Confucius goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Pursuing your passion is not only fulfilling, but it can also lead to a successful and prosperous career.
