How to pursue your passion realistically
We all are told to go to school and get good grades so you can go to college so that you can get a good job working at some company for the rest of your life and retire then die. When I first heard my parents say this to me, I was just a kid. But even as a kid, I understood that what they were telling me was something I did not want to do. At all.
Now before I get started, some things need to be reiterated. Having a job is important. It’s important for benefiting our economy, taking care of yourself, and taking care of others. If you’re in a situation where you absolutely need a job to support your family or have debt to pay off, this video is not for you.
The cultural norm of our working society is simple. Go to school, get good grades, and get a job. And for most people, this works out okay. They are able to provide for their families, enjoy their lives, and receive a paycheck. There is nothing wrong with this at all. This helps run the economy, provides for yourself and others, and sets you up for your future. This is the template that is used by our society because it works. The risk is minimized and creates a safe “bubble” for those who choose this route. But there is a downside.
Most kids don’t dream of becoming an investment banker, or becoming a sales representative, or of becoming an oil rig worker. They dream of becoming a football player, or a movie star, starting their own business, or a youtuber (that’s me). But these dreams slowly begin to fade as society and their parents begin to tell them to get “realistic” and to crush their dreams.
The desire for achieving your dreams is dissipated at a young age. The funny thing is that the same people telling you to get realistic are the same people who had dreams of their own growing up but fell into the cultural norm of being realistic. Adopting these societal norms has caused most people to put their dreams on hold and to never give it a thought.
Everyone’s desire is still there. It’s only been buried deep down inside your soul with all the other crap that you’ve been told for years. Now the window of opportunity may have passed as it is easier to pursue your aspirations in your 20s with minimal responsibility versus being in your 40s with a family. But the desire is still there.
Good job. Now you have realized that your childhood dream of opening an ice cream shop is still there. Now you have to take that leap. People are scared of the unknown. Most people don’t even try to take that jump of faith. It’s fear that is holding those of you back from getting a step closer to what you want. But realize that if you take that jump, you’ve already beat 99% of people that wouldn’t even dare. Some of us can tolerate the regret of not trying at all but those of you who can’t live with that, then you know what you need to do. Whether you are in your 40’s or 20’s, you will find a way to be proactive towards your goal.
Everyone’s situation is different. If you are still in your 20s, congratulations, you have the opportunity of a lifetime. If you have a family and need to pay bills, it will obviously be more difficult. For those of you with minimal responsibility like paying a mortgage or taking care of a family, this is the time that you put everything you got into what you want. Those of you with massive responsibilities, there is always time for you to work for what you want as a side hustle. How do you get started? Use the internet. All the information you need regarding what you are trying to accomplish is either on YouTube, articles, blogs, online communities, etc. That’s your resource. If you have questions or need guidelines, it’s on the internet. Use it.
Only a small majority of people will get what they want. Most of us will probably fail at achieving our dreams. But the difference maker is that we tried. That in itself is commendable. Now, the ones who reach their goals are typically the ones who never quit. It seems like a common trait among those who are where they want to be versus the ones who don’t succeed in what they want. But even in the case of failing, you don’t have to live with the regret of not trying at all.
The price to pay is steep. It’s going to take a massive amount of sacrifice of your time, money, relationships etc. One person who is a big advocate for this sacrifice is GaryVee. He quotes to work until your eyes bleed. Obviously this is an overstatement, but he is showing us what the realistic day to day is going to look like when working for what we want. All of your dedication and effort is going to be utilized for you to achieve something as big as your dream.
Those of you who tried and couldn’t accomplish what you want, it’s okay. The worse that can happen is that you go back to your normal daily routine. But the experience you take form trying can propel you into your next big dream or next big project you desire. It gives you a real perspective on what you need to do next time to reach your goal. This is the growth mentality. Although you have failed at something, use the experience and knowledge to your advantage and try to be better next time.
Regardless of whether or not you fail or win, this will change your character for the better. You tried, you gave it your best, and you showed passion into what you were trying to do. These traits are going to carry on to the rest of your working life and into your personal life. You more than likely have no regrets.
Hopefully you take something positive away from this article. The goal of this wasn’t to make you drop everything you have and jump headfirst into whatever you’re pursuing. It was to open your eyes and to see what you deeply desire.
