What's Your Passion?

POINT TO PONDER

The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

                                    - Robert Byrne        

 

REFLECTION by Rajiv Shah

So how does one discover their passion? How do you pursue it if you find it? These questions seem to come up a lot between my friends, coworkers, and from readers here on Friday Reflections. I've compiled a list taken from interviews, speeches, and conversations with people pursuing their own passions. 

• Acknowledge. Admit to yourself if you are on a path that you are happy/content with. Recognize if you have no clue what you are happy doing (it opens up the possibility to find out). You also might find that you are perfectly happy in your current situation and just needed a little reminder. So if you are currently happy/content, admit it. If you are unhappy and want something different, admit that. And if you have no clue, amen, and admit that too. After all, accepting and admitting is not only reserved for A.A. 
• Fight inertia. It seems there are all sorts of reasons not to do something. Find the one thing that tells you yes. You may not even know where that path leads but take the first steps. Now, this does not mean that you need to quit your job, make a major life change right away or throw caution to the wind. All this means is get off your butt and do something you enjoy - the emails can wait. Unless of course, composing emails happen to be your passion. In that case, bang away at that keyboard.
• Explore. Take that class you've been interested in. Try something new. Dig a little deeper with the interests you already have. Often just trying something will lead to new discoveries. But in order to do that you need to...
• ...Start saying yes. "No" shuts you off from possibilities. Saying yes allows you to see what's possible. "Yes" is about discovery. Discover or rediscover the things you love.
• Go for broke. What you love is something you would do for no money. In some cases, you'd even pay to do it because the act of doing is the payment itself. You don't have to quit your job to do this. There's a mistaken assumption that you can only do one or the other. But it's not about exclusion but enriching what you already have, whether that comes through your family, food, sports, art, science, or competitive dog grooming. 
• Let go of shame... You are good enough to pursue your passion. Your passion is worthy if you believe in it. Others may think it's silly, irresponsible, or a few might even find it interesting. But it's not their passion, it's yours. And despite any belief to the contrary, you are enough. You are young enough. Or old enough. You are smart enough. Capable enough. You don't have to be timid or ashamed to say it out loud. Your parents weren't always right about your life. And sometimes they were. You aren't your failures. You can pick yourself up and grow. And grow. And grow. You are more than enough and the only person that needs to believe that is you. 
• ...And its evil twin - FEAR. Kick fear in the groin. Because it sure as hell will hit you as hard as it can. It will debilitate you. Scare you. Reason with you. But worst of all, it will come to you as your best friend - whispering caution, doubt, and protection into your ear. And if you listen to the ugly voice of fear, it has you. And it's very hard to shake off. It will get into your head like a worm and bury itself deep into the recesses of your mind. It will lay eggs. It will grow and then give birth to more fear as it feeds on your past failure, heartbreak, and disappointment. Even worse, it will show up when you succeed and tell you that you got lucky. It will question if you can do it again. Fear will say that the good is fleeting, that it won't last. Because maybe, you don't deserve it. When you believe that, it will want you to tear down others because if you can't have it, then why should they? Fear is selfish and self-preserving. Even worse, it's resilient. So please give humanity a gift and kick fear in the balls. 
• Write a blog about it. Now I've really gone off the deep end... No, seriously, write about it. Tell people about your passion. Make a YouTube video if you feel inspired. Your success will inspire others. It's why we have a biography section in the bookstore to begin with - fear mongers pay top dollar to hear about the heartaches of successful people while others pursuing their passion will read it and be inspired. There's a famous story about Michael Jackson where he once told a close friend (who was also named Michael) that their first names meant 'who is like God.' The friend seemed to think that Michael Jackson meant that they were like God because of their passion for music and their successes. Michael quickly said that he wasn't using his talent for music to self-congratulate himself or to pump up his ego but believed his gifts needed to be used to help inspire other people to discover their gifts. And there isn't a shortage of talent or passion, we just have to believe that we are worthy enough to pursue it. 

 

Comments

[Friend from Penang]

Good reminder. Many times and occasions– we build our kids to be who we wished ourselves to hv been….not who they really want to be or are good at….you are the only parent that I know that let the kids do what they love in life.

[MS]

Nice one

[Anita]

Loved this Friday Reflection!

[OS]

Thanks.. great article…

[Sam]

In my last 14 years of work experience I can clearly see that I have done well on things I like and not on the things that did not ..even if I felt that I was trying very hard..

[LC]

Nice article! 
Is the picture from Life of Pi? I just watched it in flight during my way back to PG.

I learnt from these 2 items especially… love it very much!
Let go of shame...
...And its evil twin - FEAR.

Thanks

[Taipei walker]

Another good article. Thank you very much!!
I really like the word "passion". It's the mother of all wonderful things.