Why “find your passion” is misleading and unhelpful?
When it comes to achieving success and fulfilment in life, we’re often told to “find our passion” and pursue it with all our hearts. Finding your passion is appealing — it suggests that there is a single, perfect thing out there that will make you happy and fulfilled forever. However, this concept can be misleading and unhelpful for several reasons.
Firstly, the notion of finding your passion assumes that passion is something that exists within you, waiting to be discovered. However, research suggests that passion is built over time through deliberate practice and hard work. In other words, passion is not something that is found but rather something that is developed.
- Michael Jordan: Widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan’s passion for the sport was not innate. Jordan was initially cut from his high school basketball team but used that failure as motivation to work even harder at the sport. He spent countless hours practising, honing his skills, and developing a love for the game, eventually leading him to six NBA championships and numerous individual accolades.
- Yo-Yo Ma: Yo-Yo Ma is regarded as one of the greatest cellists ever. But his passion for music was not something that came naturally to him. As a child, he initially had no interest in the cello and had to be persuaded by his parents to take it up. However, through years of hard work and dedication, Ma developed a deep love for the instrument and has since become a renowned musician, winning multiple Grammy awards and performing for audiences worldwide.
Additionally, the idea of finding your passion can be overwhelming and paralyzing. It pressures individuals to identify a singular, defining passion, which can be daunting and challenging. It also implies that there is only one right path for each person when there are multiple paths to success and fulfilment.
Furthermore, the pursuit of passion can be stressful and draining. If you’re constantly striving to find your passion, you may feel like a failure if you haven’t found it yet. You may feel like you’re not meeting expectations or letting others down. This can lead to self-doubt, anxiety, and a lack of confidence. The pressure to find a singular passion can also lead to feelings of guilt or shame. Instead, it’s better to focus on building a passion which involves deliberate practice, exploration, and a growth mindset.
Building a passion also allows for flexibility and evolution over time. Your passion may shift and change as you develop your skills and interests. Building a passion allows you to explore different paths and try new things rather than feeling stuck in one pursuit.
The pressure to find passion can lead to a narrow focus and tunnel vision. This can limit individuals’ exposure to new experiences, people, and ideas. Building a passion allows you to remain open to new opportunities and avoid missing out on potentially rewarding experiences. Moreover, the pursuit of passion can lead to comparison and self-judgment. If someone appears to have found their passion early on, it can make others feel inadequate or like they are falling behind. This can lead to negative self-talk and a lack of motivation to try new things. Individuals can avoid the comparison trap by building a passion and developing a sense of fulfilment at their own pace.
The pursuit of a passion can also be expensive. Pursuing a passion may require investing in equipment, classes, or other resources, which can be challenging if you’re unsure it’s the right pursuit for you.
Building a passion can also help develop a growth mindset, a key component of success in any field. When focused on deliberate practice and improvement, you’re more likely to be open to feedback, learn from failures, and persist through challenges.
Another point is that the pressure to find one’s passion can be especially daunting for younger individuals, such as college students or recent graduates. These individuals may feel like they need to have their lives figured out and a clear career path set in stone when in reality, it’s okay to explore different options and take time to discover what truly excites them.
Moreover, focusing on finding one’s passion can detract from the importance of simply finding meaningful and fulfilling work. Instead of obsessing over finding one’s passion, individuals can focus on identifying their values, strengths, and interests and using those to find work that aligns with those factors. This can lead to a sense of purpose and fulfilment, even if it doesn’t involve a singular “passion.”
It’s also worth noting that the concept of passion can vary across cultures and may not be as emphasized in certain societies. For example, in collectivistic cultures, the emphasis may be on contributing to one’s community or family rather than finding individual passion or fulfilment. The pressure to find one’s passion may not be as prevalent in these cultures.
It’s also important to recognize that passion is not the only factor in achieving success and fulfilment. Other factors, such as hard work, persistence, and a supportive network of people, can also contribute to a fulfilling life. Individuals may overlook these important factors by focusing too much on finding one’s passion.
Ultimately, the idea of finding your passion can be misleading and unhelpful. Instead, focus on building a passion through deliberate practice, exploration, and a growth mindset. Doing so will increase your chances of success and fulfilment, and enjoy the journey of self-discovery.
Philippe Petit
Philippe Petit’s journey to becoming a wirewalker is an excellent example of how passion is not always discovered from within but can be built over time. It all started when he was taken to a circus by his father and witnessed a tight-rope walker performing an act that mesmerized him. Although he had no prior interest or goals related to wire-walking, he became curious and fascinated by the dangerous act.
Instead of waiting for a sudden spark of passion, Philippe took a deliberate and systematic approach to learning and developing new skills in wire-walking. He started by stretching wires between two trees in his backyard and removed them one at a time as he gained more skill. He continued to practice and learn, and as he improved, he increased the height of the rope from the ground, which presented new challenges that he was determined to overcome. His attention to detail grew, and his passion for wire-walking deepened.
In other words, Philippe’s passion for wire-walking was not an innate quality he discovered. Rather it was built over time by consistently improving himself through deliberate practice and persistent curiosity. He found a new purpose and identity through his passion for wire-walking, which would not have been possible if he had not tried to learn and develop the necessary skills.
Stephen King
Stephen King’s passion for writing did not come from anywhere but was built over time through events and experiences. King was scared of many things from a young age and was often housebound due to illnesses. However, he found solace in reading books, particularly in the horror, science fiction, and mystery genres. He spent much time reading comics and novels in bed, which helped develop his imagination and storytelling abilities.
King’s mother also played a significant role in his passion for writing. She loved anything scary and encouraged her sons to read books and read aloud to each other when she could not afford babysitters. She planted the idea in Stephen’s mind that he was a special kid with special storytelling abilities. King’s brother Dave also contributed to his passion for writing by starting a newspaper, which they distributed to their friends and neighbours. King’s stories laden with humour became a hit, and he became famous among his circle.
In the 1950s, television shows exploded — a steep rise in science fiction, horror, crime, and mystery shows, which played a pivotal role in King’s passion for writing. He spent considerable time watching those shows, particularly those late-night horror shows.
Hollywood, too was smitten by the ‘Science-fiction’ bug. Between 1948 and 1962, Hollywood released more than 500 science-fiction films. During 1957–66, an average of 25 science fiction movies and 20 horror movies were released every year. Stephen watched horror and science fiction movies every weekend, focusing predominantly on those genres. He was inspired by Forrest J Ackerman, who published a magazine that introduced the history of science fiction, fantasy, and horror film genres to young readers.
King’s passion for writing was not discovered but built over time through a series of events and experiences. His love for scary things, his reading and watching habits, his mother’s encouragement, and his brother’s initiative all contributed to his passion for writing. Situations helped King to change for the good, and his passion for writing was one of the outcomes.
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova’s childhood environment and upbringing shaped her passion for tennis. Both of her parents were good tennis players. They instilled in her a love for physical fitness from a young age. Her father, a skilled tennis player, acted as her first coach and spent countless hours training her on the court. Her mother also emphasized the importance of physical fitness, encouraging Navratilova to climb trees, cross-train, and compete with boys in running, jumping, and throwing. Navratilova’s early exposure to tennis came at the age of 4 or 5 when she would hit a tennis ball against a concrete wall for hours on end. By age 7, she began playing regularly; by 12, she was already beating her mother in tennis. Both parents provided Martina with the necessary support, guidance, training, and resources to pursue her interests. In addition to her father’s coaching, Navratilova had access to top-notch training facilities, which further helped her develop her game.