We are all born into this world excited about practically everything. If you were to look at the world through a baby’s eyes – you will see nothing but endless possibilities. Unfortunately we grow up and life happens. Eventually things become less interesting or rather they remain the same but we take no time to appreciate them. This is one of the unfortunate detriments of adulthood; which is why the act of mindfulness is often the answer to freeing your mind from the chaos.
This post is not about mindfulness but rather about the few things along the way that catches your attention and sticks with you even through adulthood. You know? that love for painting or writing short stories or photography; it could be anything and everything under the sun but differs from individual to individual. They are called your “passions.” Those things that bring you joy and put you in a perpetual state of flow. These passions are often the things that most people put in the back burner to focus on their careers. But what’s the right choice between “career vs passion.” The answer may be simple but the act of following through is much more difficult.
Why This Decisions is So Difficult?
When we think or talk about certain passions we are quickly hushed away by parents or the people close to us. But it is not their fault; reality created by the generation before us has conditioned people to think in terms of black and white. The concept is clearly defined in the book “The four agreements” which states that as children society determines the type of belief system we conform to as adults.
As such we make internal agreements with ourselves to not break rules forced onto us. This therefore destroys our authenticity and will to follow through with what makes us who we are. This is what makes the action of career vs passion the most difficult. In plain terms; it is the same as saying money vs what makes you happy. Societies belief system has forced people to think that having money is more important than being happy. This is when internal conflicts emerge where you are torn between knowing that you should do what you love but on the other end feeling the guilt of breaking the prophecies embedded in your belief system as a child.
This is in no way discounting the importance of money. However; what this does mean is that money should never take precedence over happiness. This is unfortunately harder than it looks because people often tend to blur the line between true happiness and the semblance of happiness created by material wealth. We think that having a fancy car, big house and fake friends makes us happy but in actual fact we are restraining that internal voice which is screaming unfulfilled.
The Verdict Is Out:
So by now you would have realized that career vs passion is not an either or; but rather a compromise. We may all have a passion for writing but don’t get a dime from anything we write. The key is to transition your passion from a state of not making money to a state where you can actually use it to add value. This may be a long road or just a matter of making a simple decision. Sometimes just quitting a well paying job can do more harm than good; instead plan how you can actually move more towards what you have a passion for. Even if you spend a few hours each day working towards this goal; the efforts will accumulate over time and the results will be truly astonishing.
How do you feel when you get complimented for something you are good at and are passionate about? If you are like most people then the feeling will fill you with happiness. This is what it feels like to have a career or income generating stream that emerges from your passion. You do what you love and people reimburse you with gratitude and money to sustain you continuing your passion. This is how life should be; this is how you should approach career vs passion.
Making A Compromise
But what happens when your passion cannot directly be translated into a career? You make a compromise. If you love music but sound like a broken record; this does not mean the end of music. You could explore avenues like the business side of music; become a song writer or music producer. The opportunities are endless. The key is to mix and match your strengths with your passions to get something that really works. If you haven’t already checked out this post about being a polymathic thinker; then now is the right time to get reading. It will show you how blending skills and subject areas can really disrupt the market and bring you success.
To learn how to fully achieve success in all facets of your life, read: Applying A Growth Mindset To Achieve Success
