What No One Admits to You about PursuingYour Passion
Taking the road less travelled is complicated…
These days, more people are in the pursuit of happiness and therefore, we all know it is important to pursue your passion.
We also know the benefits of the pursuit of our passions. That it results in making our lives feel happier, more meaningful and more fulfilling.
I am on board with going after your passions because it truly does bring joy and meaning to your life.
However, in addition to the narrative of discussing pursuing your passion, we must also be willing to share other aspects of going after your passion.
Your Passion Can Change to Several Things
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
When we often discuss going after your passion, we assume it is this one big thing that we would pursue always.
Though this is true for some people, it is not for everyone.
You can have one passion and then decide that you are passionate about something else.
Going into college, I had such a love for literature and journalism. I assumed I would have a career working in the media industry.
I did have some experience in the media industry but I later decided it was not what I’m passionate about.
My passion changed from media to wanting to be part of a non-profit organisation, to caring more about women’s empowerment and issues around gender-based violence.
You have to know that you might be passionate about something and then you have different experiences and your passions change.
It is okay. You are allowed to have a new passion.
Not Everyone will Understand Your Pursuits
I wasn’t fully encouraged to study English Literature. When I left my media job to go into a non-profit organisation, not everyone fully supported me in doing that.
You have to know that when you pursue your passions, not everyone will get why you are excited about doing things that might not seem practical.
The way to get over this is to continuously remind yourself what your vision is. Where do you see yourself when it comes to your ideas and projects?
What do you hope to achieve in doing what you do? Also, simply remind yourself of your why. Why do you choose to do what you do?
Your Passion Might Not Make an Immediate Profit
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
When we pursue our passions, we want to see the immediate benefit. We want to sing the praises of going after our dreams.
However, the reality is that sometimes, a passion might not be what you do to make money. A passion might simply be what you do for fun.
A passion might be what you pursue to fill your life with meaning.
A passion might be a side hustle for some years while working a regular job until the moment reaches that the passion becomes a full-time job.
You Can Be Passionate and Still Need to Develop Yourself
You can be passionate about something but still need to develop yourself in that skill or industry.
I’m passionate about writing but I know I still need to work on myself. I still need to develop myself through continuous practice and learning from other writers and creators.
Being passionate does not mean that you continue to carry on with only what you know. You have to keep working on and developing yourself and your skills.
Your Passion Can Create Opportunities
Your passion might not make you a quick buck but it can lead you to opportunities where you can earn.
Writing on my first blog and on Medium and LinkedIn led me to opportunities where I got hired for roles in communications and social media.
You should know that your passion might not lead you to be an overnight success but it can be the stepping stone for you to get opportunities.
Final Thoughts
We all have different passions in life. My passion is writing. Your passion could be for art. It could be for music. It could be for business or tech. Lucky You.
In pursuing our passion, yes it brings joy. Yes, it brings fulfilment but no that is not all.
You can be passionate but things might take some time before the success occurs.
Yes, you might be passionate but you still need to put in the work to get better.
