We’ve always heard and learned that it is best to have your passion as a profession, just because life would be simpler or more effortless in that case. We spend time and years finding the right habits and skills to fit into a perfect occupation. But what if that passion doesn’t get you anywhere or it’s just not applicable to the industry—would you consider proceeding, or look for another? Sometimes, we need to be practical and keep searching.
When you see yourself come face to face with reality and say, “I want to do what I love to do,” it gives no specific answer, only a large array of options to choose from, leaving you to do the trial-and-error on your own. Surely, you assure yourself that your skills and talents can back you up on those list of options. But, what if it doesn’t? You’re left with two choices: create a whole new career path for those skills or just look for another that’s feasible.
There is the tendency for some to continuously talk about their plans in pursuing the career they’ve always been passionate about. But sometimes, it’s all just a bunch of words and plans with no means of execution whatsoever. The real success there is actually going after the goals and objectives you’ve set in order to attain that accomplishment. As stated in an article from 80,000 Hours, people are terrible at assuming which career they’ll feel most satisfied at, and good at just thinking about it.
It has become a common trait that once you begin to see the consequences and side effects of pursuing what you love to do, what comes next is the decision whether to retain or withdraw— quite similar to the Filipino trait called ningas-kugon, defined as someone who starts out enthusiastic in the beginning, but starts losing interest halfway to the end. According to an article by Rebecca Healy, only if you can withstand those circumstances can you call it a passion, as the reason why they’re called “passions” is because they are able to become more than what they are with no expectations or attachments.
Having a single aspiration becomes a limitation for other possibilities or opportunities to come because you enclose yourself on a narrow path of what you already know. See to it that the plan is foolproof before pursuing that passion. In this case, it includes the preparation of the mind, body, and soul for the hindrances along the way. Otherwise, you’ll end up lost and confused as to where to go next.
Think about it. Try asking yourself WHY do you want to pursue this passion and WHAT are you willing to risk for it. Call it passion if you’re ready to risk it all just to make it happen. If you bail out halfway there, perhaps because of the undesirable circumstances or a dead end career, remember it’s not too late to keep seeking for another path to satisfy the desire for what you love to do.
Know that being a passion prisoner may or may not guarantee a smooth and simple path to a content life because, at the end, you never really stop searching.
