This episode explores the complex relationship between passion and practicality. We delve into the idea of turning passion into a career, examining if passion alone is enough to sustain a fulfilling life. Through personal stories and philosophical insights, we question whether passion can truly be the answer to happiness and success. Join us as we navigate the challenges and rewards of living a passionate life.
Stay tuned, stay compassionate and always be kind to yourself. Until next time, keep spreading the sunshine!
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[00:00:03] Hello Sunshine and how has your week been?
[00:00:06] Is passion the easy way out?
[00:00:10] Is it enough to just be passionate?
[00:00:13] You know, some of us take huge loans to buy that expensive home or to buy that expensive car.
[00:00:20] But there are some of us who at the end of it, at the cost of going through stress and drowning in loans and debts,
[00:00:28] we still go ahead and do all of the things that we claim we are passionate about.
[00:00:35] Marrying the person that you feel you are consumed by because you think it's passion,
[00:00:40] but then it ends up being an abusive relationship and you feel neglected.
[00:00:46] Is passion at that time enough?
[00:00:50] Now if you ask a few of us, some of us will actually say that passion is the answer.
[00:00:55] They believe it's the key to a joyous, successful, happy life.
[00:01:00] And the idea of turning a passion into a job has been very enticing and very attractive.
[00:01:07] But is it that simple?
[00:01:10] Because it's definitely not that easy.
[00:01:13] Recently at an event I met a friend of mine who used to be a banker
[00:01:18] who said she had given it all up because she made her lifelong love for flowers and plants,
[00:01:23] which she said was a passion, into a business venture.
[00:01:28] She said that she had also written various articles for online magazines and sites.
[00:01:33] I was happy for her and I asked her,
[00:01:36] I hope you're making enough money because you did make a lot of money when you were a banker
[00:01:39] and she smiled and she said,
[00:01:40] No, I'm not making that kind of money yet, but I'm hoping that someday soon I will.
[00:01:45] And it was that hope that helped her fuel her dreams.
[00:01:50] Confucius said,
[00:01:51] Choose a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.
[00:01:55] And this particular sentiment has perhaps never been more pertinent since the pandemic hit all of us.
[00:02:04] Because there are so many of us who've reconsidered our working lives.
[00:02:08] Some of us are actually, you know, if they've not already converted our hobby or interest into a career,
[00:02:15] some of us are actually seriously planning on doing that.
[00:02:19] Completely switching careers to follow our dreams, our passions.
[00:02:23] But is there a downside to combining our passions and our working life?
[00:02:31] What if our passion doesn't really help us make enough money to live the lifestyle we really want?
[00:02:37] Then does doing what you love for a living really make that much sense?
[00:02:44] Is it all hyped up as it's made out to be?
[00:02:48] For people who move into fields based on their passions,
[00:02:52] work often becomes central to their identity.
[00:02:56] Their successes are magnified,
[00:02:58] but then so are the failures.
[00:03:00] And it's this fear of failure that people have inside of them.
[00:03:04] They feel that if they fail at their business,
[00:03:07] then they fail as a person.
[00:03:09] And a lot of us believe that being passionate
[00:03:11] is somehow a qualifying factor
[00:03:14] to get into some elite group
[00:03:16] or some, you know, maybe people will start viewing us differently.
[00:03:20] But the truth is,
[00:03:22] if you want your life to be different,
[00:03:24] you have to do things differently.
[00:03:27] Basing our entire existence
[00:03:30] or the concept of a happy existence
[00:03:33] in something esoteric
[00:03:35] doesn't really help.
[00:03:37] What we all need
[00:03:39] is a positive frame of reference.
[00:03:41] For example, surrounding ourselves with people
[00:03:44] we really care about,
[00:03:45] who care about us,
[00:03:46] who care about the work that we do,
[00:03:48] who care about our goals,
[00:03:49] who make sure that
[00:03:51] they're there for us
[00:03:52] when it really matters.
[00:03:54] And even for us,
[00:03:56] if we have to do something
[00:03:57] that we claim we're passionate about,
[00:03:59] are we willing to get our hands dirty,
[00:04:01] get our nose to the grindstone,
[00:04:03] work hard
[00:04:04] and actually be very honest?
[00:04:07] Confidence is built from what you do
[00:04:09] and a positive mindset
[00:04:10] is rooted in what you do,
[00:04:12] how you are with the people around you,
[00:04:15] what activities or pursuits in your life
[00:04:18] bring you a sense of joy and fulfillment
[00:04:20] just by engaging in them.
[00:04:23] And this is without you getting any external validation
[00:04:26] or without you having to go through
[00:04:28] any external pressures.
[00:04:31] Will you still do that thing
[00:04:33] if nobody was watching you
[00:04:35] or nobody would come there and validate you
[00:04:38] or nobody would ever come and say congratulations to you?
[00:04:41] If so,
[00:04:43] then that is an indicator
[00:04:44] that you're truly passionate about it.
[00:04:48] Be very, very mindful
[00:04:49] that passion is not an attachment
[00:04:52] to some idea or some desired outcome.
[00:04:54] People imagine a passionate life
[00:04:56] being with someone
[00:04:57] they love doing things in a specific way.
[00:05:00] always having a blast of a time,
[00:05:02] always enjoying themselves,
[00:05:04] always probably being in a holiday mode.
[00:05:07] But the truth is
[00:05:08] that's not really realistic, is it?
[00:05:11] Because when you are in a relationship
[00:05:12] and even if it's with someone
[00:05:14] that you think is the love of your life,
[00:05:16] it's never easy.
[00:05:18] You will have to work at it.
[00:05:19] There will be times when you will fight,
[00:05:21] there will be times when you will be sad,
[00:05:22] there will be times
[00:05:23] when you will be disappointed in each other.
[00:05:26] But you need to believe
[00:05:27] in your relationship
[00:05:28] and in each other.
[00:05:31] And never having to feel
[00:05:32] that you're less than
[00:05:33] just because
[00:05:35] you are living up
[00:05:36] to what you think is ideal.
[00:05:40] Always making sure
[00:05:41] that we work
[00:05:41] to the best of our potential.
[00:05:44] You know,
[00:05:44] I was reading an article
[00:05:45] the other day
[00:05:45] and this particular line
[00:05:46] made me think
[00:05:49] the line was
[00:05:49] remember to identify with what you want
[00:05:52] most in life,
[00:05:53] not just what you want.
[00:05:55] For example,
[00:05:56] if you want to be fit
[00:05:57] and you want to have that beautiful
[00:05:59] toned body,
[00:06:01] for example,
[00:06:02] you know you've got to put in the hard work.
[00:06:03] You know you've got to wake up
[00:06:05] maybe a little earlier
[00:06:06] to go to the gym.
[00:06:07] You know you've got to eat healthy.
[00:06:09] Now this is a choice
[00:06:11] over you
[00:06:11] maybe just being laid back.
[00:06:14] But you know that you've invested
[00:06:16] in your future.
[00:06:17] You know that
[00:06:19] at that particular moment
[00:06:21] you made a choice.
[00:06:23] And you made a choice
[00:06:24] in the future
[00:06:25] that will actually help you.
[00:06:27] You know our values
[00:06:29] are the foundation
[00:06:30] for our passion and purpose.
[00:06:32] They define what is important
[00:06:33] and can be an influencing factor
[00:06:38] in the passions that we pursue
[00:06:40] and the purpose we seek to fulfill.
[00:06:43] So the questions
[00:06:44] that we really need to ask ourselves
[00:06:45] is what is important
[00:06:47] for you in life
[00:06:49] and what is it that you will
[00:06:50] absolutely never negotiate on.
[00:06:53] Having an answer to these questions
[00:06:55] brings a lot of clarity.
[00:06:59] Yes, please follow your purpose passionately
[00:07:01] because it's the journey
[00:07:03] and not the destination
[00:07:04] that should be the determining factor.
[00:07:06] And as Winston Churchill said
[00:07:08] it's not enough to have lived
[00:07:10] we should be determined
[00:07:11] to live for something.
[00:07:13] Have a great week ahead of you everyone
[00:07:15] and take good care of yourselves.
[00:07:17] We'll speak to you again next week.
[00:07:19] Bye for now.