“Follow Your Passion” isn’t for everyone.
I watched a Bollywood movie (Indian movie industry) today called Dangal (which translates to a Wrestling Competition) and it got me thinking about something important.
Overview
Before I begin, a little background about the movie: it’s based on a true story of an amateur father who trains his two daughters to become India’s first world-class women wrestlers setting examples for girls all over the country. In the movie, the dad wants a son so he can have his own dream of winning a gold medal for the country fulfilled by his boy. However, after trying 4 times and still only having daughters, he instead trains his daughters. The girls resist at first but eventually become dedicated and determined to build a successful career in the sport.
My Thoughts
Now, I say resist above to emphasize that these girls weren’t passionate about wrestling. They didn’t even know what it was at first. It was their father that basically “forced” them to train every day and compete till eventually they became passionate about wrestling and went on to do wonders in the field.
My point here is that not everyone has to have something that they’re passionate about. A lot of people don’t. They’re clueless. Most people aren’t confident as to what they should pursue as a career vs what they should keep as just a hobby. So, if you find yourself in a position like this, find something or someone that can get you started; someone that could direct you towards a path that they think could be a right fit for you. This could be based on their own personal experience or what they’ve observed in someone else.
I, personally, wasn’t in the tech field at first. My college major for the first 3 years of undergrad was Biology/Pre-med because my dream job since I was a little girl was to become a doctor. Once I was done with my Pre-med track and moved on to my Bio core classes, I realized that’s not what I wanted to do. Since my grades were suffering because I wasn’t into what I was studying, my dad guided me towards pursuing a degree in CS. Being a South Asian parent, his first instinct was to suggest something that would pay well and had scope. I took his suggestion and here I am, 3 years later, getting my master’s degree, loving both the internships I’ve had, and falling in love with the ability to build something worthwhile.
Going back to the movie, these girls weren’t passionate about wrestling. However, after putting hours upon hours of consistent challenging work, they made not just their family and their country proud but also set an example for other women by setting an example.
Conclusion
To conclude, I want to say that it’s ok if you don’t have something that you’re passionate about. With high certainty, if you put enough work (10,000 hours, according to Malcolm Gladwell) to master a skill, you can build a successful career/life out of everything. After dedicating that much time and effort, you are bound to fall in love with what you do. If, on the other hand, you don’t, then you know for certain that wasn’t for you so you can find something else that might be the right fit for you. The issue with "wasting time" comes into play now but, hey, wouldn't you rather know something isn't for you instead of living a life of "what ifs" and "if only"s...?
What are your thoughts on this?
I completely agree. Something could seem unpleasant until you give it a chance and really understand everything about it.
This can definitely be a scary one. But I feel the same as you stated, wouldn't you rather live knowing you didn't give up on something good?
It's the risk we should be willing to take!
I like the challenge to the status quo thinking.
A few other perspectives on the matter:
Passions can change over time. Sure, there may be wisdom to the guidance of following one’s passion. Though, to be completely fixed on one thing as though it’s the end-all-be-all may be a flawed approach, as it could sacrifice the flexibility to remain open to the unforeseeable, in which yet greater opportunities may be presented.
Timing. There indeed may be a time and place for pursuing one’s passions - and also a time not to. Insisting that everyone should follow that strategy now might be a bit arrogant and inconsiderate of where an individual is at in their particular journey, and of the fact that they may be in the midst of other lessons and undertakings which require completion before throwing themselves fully into their passions could turn out successfully.
My two cents
Completely fair arguments!
I definitely am not the one to preach that everyone should follow a nicely designed step-by-step guide to success, even if one existed. I've personally run into people who are clueless as to where they want to be in life so having a mentor who can guide them at the very beginning of their journey can give them the motivation which can eventually lead to passion for their end goal.
This is where the person has to be responsible and make a decision for themselves.
Hi @cabernet, great post. I loved the move, it's one of two great Indian movies I saw lately (the second one was "3 idiots"). Prior to these two movies I thought that their complete movie industry must be horrible, lol, but I was wrong. I can also give a similar personal example: my ex gf was forcing me to start dancing tango for months, and I resisted claiming that it's not for me, and now I dance it almost every day. : )
OMG 3 Idiots is one of my favorite movies EVER! I recommend Taare Jameen Par too. Another gem by Amir Khan. And I'm glad dancing worked out at the end for you. Never hurts to give something at least once shot :D
I'll give Taare Zameen Par a shot, thanks for the recommendation. : )
Agree with you. People have to try out new things to realize what they really want.
And I too watched Dangal. It was really one of the good movie by Amir.
His movies are excellent!
Its a good thoughts. I think it's very important to have a goal, important be"burning" inside with something that was a goal and dream that leads you through life. It's not always easy to find. Some people make many attempts to find its target, before it happens. The other person (book,film,...) can encourage us and give us purpose. BUT! It is very important to be inspired to aim really became ours. Some parents are wrong. They do not inspire us ,they do not show us an example , they do not show options and opportunities. Some parents realize their goals and dreams with our own hands,impose their desires ( what the parents wanted for themselves,but are unable to do in his life by themselfs ). Therefore, we need to understand exactly what is happening here and now. This is my dream? Or it was forced upon me?
Yes and there's only one way to find out: by trying and testing it out. Our elders can guide us towards the right track IF we're lost or don't have a good direction. It's up to us after that to decide if the track we're on is good or not.
I read about this Bollywood movie ... would love to watch it ( with subtitles ) ... any idea where I could get it ?
I watched it on Netflix! If you don't have that, maybe try YouTube?
Oh it’s on Nflix .... thanks