Follow Your Passion Is Complicated Advice
Are you ready to karate chop the next person you hear saying, “Just follow your passion?” The Follow Your Passion phenomenon is a vague, formless homily that might be doing more harm than good. In a subtle way it encourages people to take less responsibility for their happiness. By implying that each of us possesses a magical but elusive place inside of us that contains our undiscovered zone of genius are hesitant to engage in their lives until they have found IT. As if the key to unlimited energy, health, love, joy and an effortless multiple six figure income is simply playing hide and seek with them.
As an Intuitive, I’m kind of in the advice business. I see a silent epidemic of people waiting to find their passion before they decide who or what they want to be. They’ve come to see me for insight, but their fear that they’ll miss their one true calling (or relationship or whatever) holds them back. This advice encourages people to believe that until they discover what it is they’re “meant to do” they must keep searching.
Not having a passion is not a personal failing!
Passions develop over time (something that most of us have precious little to spare these days). They’re fed by interest and curiosity. Let’s say that you were thrilled to go swimming with the dolphins on your vacation. It was such an ecstatic experience that you immediately sublet your apartment and headed south to work full time in a dolphin rehab. Once you got there, you realized you don’t actually love dolphins thaaaaaat much. What’s more, your old problems followed you to your new life. What the great dolphin debacle can teach you is that the key to happiness isn’t a magic bullet. It’s not about abandoning your life, but instead it’s about showing up for it. Take the time to get to know yourself and how you feel inside so you can craft a life that feels just as fabulous as that first dolphin encounter without the burnout of shoveling fish all day.
Another foible in the Follow Your Passion mission statement is that passion and talent are not inextricably linked. Because you can’t stop thinking about something, doesn’t mean you’re great at it. I love playing tennis. I wait all winter to get my racquet out and yet I’m pretty brutal at it. I smash balls out of the court, swing wildly and I’m pretty crapped out after 15-20 minutes. Any wonder I don’t have a lot of tennis dates? I play because I enjoy the challenge and the memories of my dad that come rushing back when I step on the court. When I play, maybe because I’m so bad, I just show up and enjoy myself. THAT is what magically works it’s fingers into your relationship with yourself and eventually your. I’m not going to make millions selling online tennis lessons, but that I am honoring the song of my heart.
Your Passion is your Muse
Think of your passion as a fickle muse that will get up and walk out of your life. If It’s not treated with respect, It’s gonna ghost you. How do you disrespect your passion?
When you foist the responsibility of solving all your life’s problems on your love of crochet, you’re asking too much. Following your passion is less about turning a hobby into a luxurious life of leisure and more about listening to how you feel inside. Whatever it is that draws your interest or generates curiosity, be grateful. When you engage with your passion (especially creatively), you open yourself to hear the whispers of your soul.
Make friends with your muse. Invite it to visit and put a play date on your calendar. Whatever you do, don’t try and trap your muse! Don’t duct tape it to the chair and force it to tell you how it’s going to generate revenue. Don’t pace menacingly and shout, “How soon will I be able to quit my job?” Muses hate that. So don’t expect your passion to waltz in with a business plan and a magic wand and “Poof!” everything in your life is perfect.
Relationship issues? Crummy job? Out of shape? Hate your life or yourself or both? You’re on your own to figure that shit out. What your passion can do is help you find deeper parts of yourself. It can help you understand who you are in new ways which will build self confidence and reliance. Which will help you reshape your relationships with everything. Don’t wait to find clarity. Take action! Sign up for that cooking class, start the blog. Clarity comes through action and so does your passion.
So, yes Follow Your Passion. Not passively, but actively. Pursue your passion with a curious mind and a trusting heart. Follow it into yourself and find the truth of who you are. Your life will never be the same and the Universe will applaud uproariously!
One thought on “Is “Follow Your Passion” Good Advice?”
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Heather,
I absolutely LOVED this blog post! It’s a very refreshing, interesting and IMHO, spot on!
Thank you! 🙂
Amy Falk