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What's your excuse for not pursuing your passion?
Mr. Smith talked about all kinds of excuses we are making for not going for it in life. I have many tiered dreams in life, and while some are checked off (like working abroad), others still need to be (like changing the world). I find myself thinking that there are too many gatekeepers in the world and too much potential for environmental destruction (i.e. putting out a certain product), so I am always rethinking my "passion", and hoping that I don't come across something where others or the world have to suffer just because of my own ego / narcissistic need to self-actualize.
Genevieve Tran 50+
I think that, as far as we know, since this is our one shot at the human experience, we need to make sure that it is carried through with meaning. While that might mean a fabulous career or a healthy family or being in love or helping others realize their dreams or simply watching all this with wonder, it is certainly an individual choice. Discussing this in terms of an "excuse" for not having THE THING, might be too prescriptive of what it is A Passion is supposed to be.
After reading all this, I feel that my "passion" is like a small drum that I carry inside and every movement and beat I make sounds it. Sometimes its for me to dance to, sometimes its for others to notice, but the point is to beat it with purpose. I might not know the entire score, but even an improvised rhythmic number here and now is fun to do!
Colleen Steen 500+
I LOVE the metaphor of the drumming passion! I agree....it is inside me in each and every moment...beating sometimes softly, sometimes with much more energy, and always with purpose...and it can be very much fun to recognize it in each moment:>)
Frans Kellner 100+
"since this is our one shot at the human experience", I never felt that way.
As long as I can remember which dates back at the baby carriage I had impressions of many a life.
I think this always was the root of my passion. I never was much interested in my current life.
But no matter what I did doing as life demanded of me I was at the same time occupied with my quest to understand all life and in search for a deeper experience and connection apart from all actuality.
Maybe we're all in different stages and my life is a more review and summing up of many.
So, people can be very different and as one needs to fly or climb a mountain the other one just closes the eyes to remember that flight.
Terry Torok 100+
This was a great thread thanks Genevieve you provided a great read and real value in thinking outside ourselves... so break down the gates.... deliver on dreams....
;;;
Genevieve Tran 50+
Colleen Steen 500+
We have more advanced communication systems, which allow us to connect throughout the world, science and technology has given us the gifts of more advanced methods of studying the brain/mind, and we know that with evolution, the brain is expanding in size, and perhaps is ready for the next step of evolution in which we may discover more about the power of communication and connectivity throughout our world? Guess we'll see! It is also a big life-long curiosity of mine:>)
Laura Proudfoot
While I love to create things, I get Way more ideas than are practical to actually do. I could sell ideas. When I realized this, I realized that is just the way I am. I should probably write them down, or sketch them out. Often I do, and keep them in a folder.
So while I said that my passion is to create things, just because I am not creating all of these things in a material sense, I am still creating them in my mind. So my passion is still going on, even if I am not making them.
This train of thought has to do with perhaps an acceptance of different ways of looking at pursuing one's passion. Can anyone relate to this?
Colleen Steen 500+
I am passionate about everything, so my heart and mind are often in a state of creativity. I've had many wonderful life adventures simply because I said YES to the opportunities. While many of my friends were very one-goal oriented, I was exploring many different things. Sometimes, I felt that I wasn't disciplined enough to keep a steady course toward one goal. As an older person, I have accepted that I am different in this respect, and it's ok....I LOVE it now!
I agree...there are many different types of people, and if we were all the same, with the same motivations and pursuits of passion, the world probably wouldn't be very interesting huh?
I also am in agreement with you that acceptance of ourselves and others is a big part of the passion puzzle. Knowing ourselves and believing in what makes our heart sing is important. We do not all experience the same sense of passion, and that's probably a good thing! Perhaps we are meant to realize the balance we create by NOT being the same? I like to think so:>)
Edward Bolton
Elizabeth Gu 30+
When I am not sure about what I really want to do--that doesn't mean that my passion needs to be specified.
When I take too many responsibilities--they define my behavior, my way of thinking, and even my way of lifestyle.
So, I'd say sometimes responsibility can limits your possibilities and passion.
But most importantly, when I think of those excuses and try to justify myself.
In other words, when passion is not the priority of my life.
Salim Solaiman 50+
Elizabeth Gu 30+
Or you can also say that someone who has an excuse for not pursuing his passion is a coward.
I am sometimes a coward.
Whenever I have many excuses for not pursuing my goal, I soon realize that I am afraid to do IT.
I just don't want to admit the fact that I wanted to avoid the obstacles and I didn't want to face the problem--which means I am not brave enough to pursue my passion at that moment.
Salim Solaiman 50+
Thanks for your compliments...I am obliged.
If someone has the courage to say her/himself to be coward s/he is not a coward actually...well thats my view....
The call of heart human can't ignore and thats the passion to my definition....no barrier can stop that...may be can slow down sometime but no worry passion will find it's way
I am sure you will pursue whatever passion you hold...may be tomorrow or day after...
Have a good day :)
Jia Huey Tan
han soo yeon 20+
I like this part. :( there's too many gatekeepers in the world.
and I always wonder about my 'passion'
but I think wht matters is wht u think of urself.
Safia Kastally
russell slocum
Wang Yang
veejay sarathy
sangita vardhan
Verble Gherulous 20+
Laura Proudfoot
Fritzie Reisner 100+
Derek Young 30+
Robert Benjamin
To follow a passion, is probably the loneliest path a person would ever walk in a lifetime, until those who are destined to share it start joining in the journey. Passion knows no limits, for it burns like a flame that just won't go out, no matter how hard you try. Maybe the primary reason for not following a "passion" is because it really isn’t a passion at all.
When, against all the odds, in spite of all the failures, you find yourself reaching out for comfort by engaging in the one thing you cannot help but naturally do, you are probably aligning with your passion. Live that thing in order to continuously form your passion. Therefore, I am.
Yuri Gomez
very insightful comment. I'd like to know more about the description you made. can you share a bit more about the source of it?.
Regards.
Robert Benjamin
Yuri Gomez
your mind is a great interpreter :)
Jason Tranter
I think that some of the comments below reflect society's built-in "programming" that stops people from stepping away from the obvious, risk-free path. "It is bad to strive for profit". "People who follow their passion plunder the earth's resources". "You are too young". "You need more time/money." Sorry, these are all excuses. You should not feel bad about not following your passion (or starting a new business, whether it is a "passion" or not) - you are no less a person. But you should not use these excuses to stop you from doing something that you would actually like to do. Most "successful" people ("successful" by almost any definition) fail a few times before they experience "success". Treat the failures like stepping stones.
These comments may reflect Western culture, but I think it has more to do with what your passion is; meditation, raising children, creating great artwork, writing software, training people - whatever.
Kari Duerksen
Genevieve Tran 50+
cara gittings
i believe - 'trust your path, the rest will follow.'
As soon as a personal talent and gift becomes driven by the dollar then I believe it changes from a holistic love of something to a quest for recognition of that self discovery. I think it is such a middle/upper class discussion for a western world as many in third world countries would just innately be doing what they were good at without thought or speculation of self fulfilment, this in turn would normally mean taking only enough from the earth. Unfortunately, people following passions sometimes have not been gentle and it has involved taking more than their fair share and plundering the earth's resources to do so.
Tim Leisio
Is 'trusting your path', however, not also susceptible to the path of the ungentle and overly plunderous?
cara gittings
Yes perhaps it could be but I believe to trust your path is to trust something bigger than you, something predetermined and possibly intangiable. i would hope when we were following a 'destiny' so to speak, it would be in the natural order of things and almost be part of your blue print, your design and genetic makeup. when it is a learned and then forced enthusiasm, I do not believe it is necessarily going to be in harmony with the divine, thus leaving greed and corruption to creep in.
As an aside, I do believe it is ok to make a living from something you do well, in fact better than ok.
It is a fair question Tim, as a cello player or a book lover, these things all require resources and my hope is that we take only enough and replenish where we can. My thoughts anyway.
Sina Elli 10+
Debra Smith 200+
Muhammad Aizat Zainal Alam 30+
Quinn Bond
Manish Kumar Aggarwal
As one destination have many ways to reach so as many passions must be reconciling into one purpose. When that purpose is clear to people they achieve what they want to be.
regards
Scott Armstrong 50+
Ehis Odijie 10+
Scott Armstrong 50+
I think everyone picks up a feeling of foreboding when change is in the air.
I don't think the feeling of foreboding means that society is about to collapse (unless we trust only to bureaucracy and stop believing in people).
Stuart Woods 10+
Martine Fox
Colleen Steen 500+
Linda Taylor 50+
But it did teach you resilience.
Anshul Mehta
Gerald O'brian 50+
Unless you're autistic, why on earth would you only care about a single thing?
We have hundreds of interests, and this is sanity. You have to be either lucky or insane to be able to enjoy 30 years of doing the same thing. Most of us hope for a life full of surprises, of struggle, of different experiences.
Arlinda Abazi
The thing I would say on the talk is that there are always times when you have doubts and that does not mean that you are not pursuing your passion. But when you have doubts, you have to do some wandering to find the answer and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Not all who wander are aimless, they are just in 'reflection' mode.
Gerald O'brian 50+
Comment deleted
Genevieve Tran 50+
Humanity NEEDS your brain, please stop sitting on it!! :) (my personal plea to one under-challenged engineer)
sandy naiker