Stop Following Your Passions: It's A Scam!

In a creative writing class last semester, I was assigned to write a 2000-word essay focusing on one keyword. One word. When the essay was first introduced, I actually thought my professor was joking. I would spend the next thirteen weeks writing about one word so I would have to choose very wisely. After little to no contemplation, I ended up with the word passion - and for no good reason at all, except for the fact that a passionfruit tea was sitting on a table in front of me.

(pas - sion)

/ˈpaSHən/

Passion can briefly described as a strong emotion due to a concrete belief. Or it could be something like an activity or hobby that you enjoy. Or it could describe sexual desire and love. With it's vast connotations, I find myself struggling to find a definition that I truly believe in - let alone a concrete passion in my life.

The word kinda scares me. As humans in a functioning society we are designed to grow up young, go to school, graduate, find a job, get married, raise a family, retire, die. Sounds morbid, I know. But this truly scares me - living like robots - and that is why finding not just one, but multiple passions in life is so important to me. My life is full of spontaneity, but that's just how I like it. What am I interested in? Not really sure. What do I love to do? A lot of things. What do I want to do with the rest of my life? Couldn't tell ya.

There's this restricting idea that at the core of everything we believe in about success or life in general, is that you have to have one singular passion and it is your duty and obligation to find it and pursue it - that's it, that's all. And if you do that, everything will be alright in the world... and if you don't, you've failed. The problem I have with the word passion, is that at eighteen years old, I'm expected to have my whole life planned out to a tee. It's almost triggering when someone asks me what I'm passionate about or what I want to do with my life, because I have no idea. Those distant relatives you only see once a year who ask, "So what are you doing with your life?" scare me half to death - I start to shake in my seat, my hands get clammy, beads of sweat start rolling down my face.. I'm exaggerating, but you get the point.

Throughout most of history, people did what their parents did and followed in their footsteps in the workforce. Some people are money driven and think that greed is good, purely focused on growing their bank account balance. However, my generation grew up on career’s advice about following a specific passion. You always hear the phrases “If you’re doing something you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life” or, “Do what you love and love what you do," but if you want to be successful, life is way too short to wait for a passion to find you. The other day, I read that from a survey of 500 students, 90% were passionate about sports, arts or music. However, only 3% of real-life careers are in those specified fields. This means that 1 in 10 students will be successful in following their passion. So, how is someone supposed to tell me to follow my passion if I am just being set up for failure?

One of the hardest tasks that life will throw is finding a purpose as to why we are put onto this Earth. Having a purpose is about growth and being in touch with yourself. It is about life experiences and knowing to get back up and keep going even when passions fail, or passions change. Maybe passion invites success, or maybe it just takes a little bit of hard work and zest for life - I have yet to find out. I have come to the conclusion that a passion is not a plan; it is a feeling, and feelings change multiple times a day, thus passions follow suit. Uncertainty is normal, in fact praised. Routine is boring, don't you think? It is only when you feel uncomfortable that there is room for growth. At the end of the day, the best advice my little brain can give is to stay true to yourself. Passions change! Life happens! Don't stress, just breathe.

Thirteen weeks later, I give thanks to my creative writing professor for pushing me to look beyond this single word in the English language. Weird, eh? Stay in school, kids.

- R

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my understanding of the word

is an ambiguous case

its underlying meaning

is something I must embrace

the uncertainty, the doubt

life is an ongoing mystery

sometimes I want to bail out

finding your purpose, your worth

like we’re meant to know that

at the moment of birth

but don’t get me wrong

passions are cool

but often don’t last long

the search for success

the search for happiness

sometimes can cause stress

but it will all be worth it in the end

because life is great

yet not easy to comprehend

don’t rush to die

don’t rush to live

find a passion; and you will fly