Passion is probably the most underestimated and misinterpreted word in the history of English, time immemorial. Passion to me, is the truest expression of one’s desires. It’s the fuel that keeps the fire in you burning, pushing you to reach the zenith and beyond. But one thing a lot of us will agree upon is the fact that we find it a herculean task to find out where our passion truly lies. Some people try their entire lives to discover what they were meant to do and end up never finding the answer. Some people don’t even try. They’re content with whatever it is that they’re doing as long as it pays the bills. But that couldn’t possibly be the way to live our lives, could it? And the secret lies not in finding your passion, but in the way you pursue it. The way you persistently follow your passion, watch your dreams become a reality.
1. Perspective
So, we’ve established what we’re going to be talking about, passion-seeking. I have, in my mind come up with a few points I believe might help. So I’m thinking passion and the first thing that pops up in my mind is Perspective. With the right perspective, there’s not the feeblest of chances that we’re going to falter in our conquest, is there? Perspective is the golden compass that leads my Monkey D Luffy to the One piece. It’s the same for you. It’s the same for everyone. For example, let’s say you walk into a class with a strong distaste for the subject and a determined “I’m not going to learn anything today” mind set. Basically, you’re forcing yourself to not like the lecture you’re about to sit in. Now this perspective, isn’t going to change. Not the prettiest professor, fellow student or subject content is going to make you suddenly fall in love with the subject like you see in cheesy rom-coms these days. However, when you pick classes that interest you, you’re at least not walking in to your own funeral from a career standpoint. I’m not saying you’ll love this class, but you’re one step closer to finding your true passion. It could be science, arts, engineering, medicine, sports, journalism, anything at all. But you’re never going to find out unless you try, are you?
2. Retrospection
So you have your perspective set. The next step’s retrospection. Now, you’ve figured out what you’re going to be doing. Just take a few moments to dig back into your own past. Your experiences. Think for a while about the many instances that you’ve tried to do what it is you’re doing right now. Happy memories are always a strong stimulus towards achieving a focused search radius. So you’re sketching your favourite character and you stop to think about the time in your past you used to sketch, and you recollect this amazing piece of art that your hands sketched and you’re elated and feeling a gush of positivity, don’t look back. Do not stop.
3. Categorize
Now you’ve narrowed your interests to a select hundred out of a million possibilities. That, my friend, is an achievement in itself. These interests might not exactly match nor will all of them be compatible with each other. This is when you activate your inner screens. Try to categorize the stuff you love doing. For example, one could put sketching and painting under the same generic header. Now this is the hard part. You may like drinking coffee, you may like reading, you may like surfing, you may like French toast or Ronaldo’s hairdo. Pretty disconnected, yeah? Well, that’s precisely why I call this the hard part. Categorize. Categorize because your life depends on it.
4. Classify
Let’s for the sake of simplicity say you have narrowed your passion down to say five categories. At this point in time, I ask you to classify these categories into two further categories – Hobby and the money maker. Well, if you’re well off and happy with what it is that you’re doing even though your career is not dependent on it, that’s a hobby. But if you have figured that this thing that you’re doing is going to make you happy and pay the bills at the same time, it’s profitable. If you’re going to give me the stink-eye because I’m bringing money into this conversation, be my guest. I’m being realistic.
5. Pursue
You’re all set now. You have your passion. All you have to do now, is pursue it until there’s nothing left to pursue. Be persistent. Be confident. Go through with your thought process. Be at harmony with yourself. Do it. But don’t for even one second, think that it’s going to be easy. Expect resistance. Expect mutiny. Because the world’s such a nice place, everyone just loves watching others become what they want to. There’s a 200% chance that you will have a group of people telling you what to do, telling you how you couldn’t possibly BE more wrong. Well, my advice – haters gonna hate. Keep doing what you have to, because it’s going to make you happy. Live life for yourself. Not for a group of people who have a predefined notion of success because they think they know more from their experience. Respect a person for his/her experience, but do not submit to that person. Take valuable input from that person, idolize him/her, but for no reason should you have a submissive attitude towards that person.
6. Keep testing
The last and final step, people, is to test yourself. Never confine yourself to specific targets. Always aim for the skies. Be realistic, but don’t draw a barrier around yourself. Always remember that you don’t have to break any barriers if there aren’t any. Keep testing your limits. Brave your fears. Expect the best, be the patronus charm to your own dementors.
Awesome post. Keep rocking ?