I just finished reading Mastery by Robert Greene, and I’m not sure if any of you have read it, but the premise of the book is to follow your passion rather than following the path laid out for you by society. It’s human nature to want to follow a path in which something is guaranteed. You follow this certain career path, you will get ______ and ____ a year. Everyone wants a linear path.
In the book, you learn of many successful people who were revolutionary because they refused to follow the societal norms of their time. Basically, what’s your view on choosing a career. Should you follow your passion? Or is this a fallacy? Should you go where you think you’ll get the money regardless of whether you like the career path or not? If you could do it all over again what would you do? If you haven’t made your career choice yet, what do you plan on?
My view is that you should follow your passion. If you a passionate about something and positive, eventually through that dedication to your passion, positivity and success will find you and maybe even present you with the opportunity to combine your interests into a new “path”.
Why is it either or? Why can’t you follow your passion while surviving in a conventional way?
After I get home from work I follow my passion and record music. Sure I’m not able to give 100% of my time and energy to my passion, but it’s unrealistic to think that anybody can give 100% towards it, unless they are being taken care of by someone else.
Growing up, I knew I would require a guaranteed salary in Order to survive comfortably as well as fund my passion(s). The thought of being a starving Artist or a homeless jazz musician does have a ring to it, but someday I will have kids who are relying on me and I need that guaranteed salary.
Who are some of the people that he mentioned that followed their passion and hit it big? I think you need the right combo of brilliant/lucky/ambitious/hard working in order to make it work.
Finding success it while off veering off a normal career path depends on positivity, objectivity, ability to adapt, balls, and the foresight to capitalise on opportunity. In many cases, passion has little to do with it.
[quote]SirTroyRobert wrote:
My view is that you should follow your passion. If you a passionate about something and positive, eventually through that dedication to your passion, positivity and success will find you and maybe even present you with the opportunity to combine your interests into a new “path”. [/quote]
This implies placing your bets on luck and faith. You really shouldn’t.
If the book makes its case through anecdotes and case studies, then, personally, I wouldn’t give it much sway. Those examples are the outliers. Yes, many that took big risks reaped large rewards, but even more did not. Granted, I don’t think the down side of some of these risks is as bad as many think.
There has also been some research done showing that when people attempt to improve their shortcomings, they make marginal improvements, but when they focus on what they’re already good at (could be speed reading or whatever), they can make improvements by magnitude. This wouldn’t be directly related to passion, but few people are passionate about something they suck at.
I’m more fortunate than many in my life and situation. But if I had to do it all over again, I think I would have gone more of a quant/science route (MAYBE even engineering); I never saw the power of math and stats until I got older. It’s not so much because of a passion but the abilities these skills bring, their potential impacts on humanity, their application outside of their fields, and the ability to leave the work at work and have a normal life. I actually began my undergrad as an engineer, but none of the intro engineering classes I took had anything to do with actual skills, so I decided to jump ship because of the fluff.
Leverage your time in the smartest way you can to earn the most amount of income/collect the most assets that you can. One of the best “sayings” that I have heard is this:
Money cannot buy you happiness (but it makes a hell of a down payment)
I’ve been wealthy and I’ve been broke (I’m currently doing pretty good). I am a lot happier when I’m not broke and struggling and worrying about paying my bills, feeding my kids or handling any emergency that life throws at me. Having enough money so that you don’t need to think about it brings a peace of mind like nothing else.
Unless your dreams are the equivalent of a burning desire (which is rare, but not unheard of), follow the money. Eventually, you’ll have the time to do whatever the fuck you want.
Any other perspective is either A) you are one of the rare one percent individuals destined for greatness, or B) you are living in fantasy land and will be bitter and broke after failing miserably.
I have been doing some thinking about this very topic, and it was inspired by this NPR Ted Talk Radio Hour podcast that I’m going to link to.
I highly suggest you listen to this entire thing if this interests you. The part with Mike Rowe from Discovery’ Dirty Jobs is particularly fascinating and relevant.
[quote]carbiduis wrote:
Why is it either or? Why can’t you follow your passion while surviving in a conventional way?
After I get home from work I follow my passion and record music. Sure I’m not able to give 100% of my time and energy to my passion, but it’s unrealistic to think that anybody can give 100% towards it, unless they are being taken care of by someone else.
Growing up, I knew I would require a guaranteed salary in Order to survive comfortably as well as fund my passion(s). The thought of being a starving Artist or a homeless jazz musician does have a ring to it, but someday I will have kids who are relying on me and I need that guaranteed salary.
Who are some of the people that he mentioned that followed their passion and hit it big? I think you need the right combo of brilliant/lucky/ambitious/hard working in order to make it work.[/quote]
If the two coincide, then that’s perfect. The premise of the book I guess that the linear path is dying. After WWII it was considered a great opportunity to find a job in an assembly line or something along those lines and work there forever. I don’t think he’s saying to throw caution to the wind and simply become a starving artist, but he’s saying think outside the box. Or at least that’s how I took it. In a world where we’re all connected, we all have the chance to create for ourselves our own paths I guess you could say. I know a lot of people might be skeptics, but I thought it was a very well written book.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
I have been doing some thinking about this very topic, and it was inspired by this NPR Ted Talk Radio Hour podcast that I’m going to link to.
I highly suggest you listen to this entire thing if this interests you. The part with Mike Rowe from Discovery’ Dirty Jobs is particularly fascinating and relevant.
[quote]theuofh wrote:
What if at first you really don’t like something, then you work hard and get really good it, then it becomes a passion? [/quote]
I’m not saying you should stray away from things you don’t like. I think many people have discovered what they like by doing things they didn’t initially like.
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Finding success it while off veering off a normal career path depends on positivity, objectivity, ability to adapt, balls, and the foresight to capitalise on opportunity. In many cases, passion has little to do with it.
[quote]SirTroyRobert wrote:
My view is that you should follow your passion. If you a passionate about something and positive, eventually through that dedication to your passion, positivity and success will find you and maybe even present you with the opportunity to combine your interests into a new “path”. [/quote]
This implies placing your bets on luck and faith. You really shouldn’t.[/quote]
Not really placing bets on luck and faith. Just can’t imagine being a “worker” my whole life. What I mean by that, is just a 9-5 job in which I don’t contribute new ideas to the world. No, I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever be a worker, but I think too many people get stuck and stay there for life. Especially today, when we’re all connected by the internet, the possibilities are endless.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
I have been doing some thinking about this very topic, and it was inspired by this NPR Ted Talk Radio Hour podcast that I’m going to link to.
I highly suggest you listen to this entire thing if this interests you. The part with Mike Rowe from Discovery’ Dirty Jobs is particularly fascinating and relevant.
I’m following my passion - it’s the only course that’s optional for me, because I’d be an unhappy drunk if I did anything else. But I have paid dearly for it financially in money lost if I had anywhere near a good-paying job. I am hoping it pays off in the long run for me, because I’m one of those top 1 percent at what I do I think.
[quote]angry chicken wrote:
Leverage your time in the smartest way you can to earn the most amount of income/collect the most assets that you can. One of the best “sayings” that I have heard is this:
Money cannot buy you happiness (but it makes a hell of a down payment)
I’ve been wealthy and I’ve been broke (I’m currently doing pretty good). I am a lot happier when I’m not broke and struggling and worrying about paying my bills, feeding my kids or handling any emergency that life throws at me. Having enough money so that you don’t need to think about it brings a peace of mind like nothing else.
Unless your dreams are the equivalent of a burning desire (which is rare, but not unheard of), follow the money. Eventually, you’ll have the time to do whatever the fuck you want.
Any other perspective is either A) you are one of the rare one percent individuals destined for greatness, or B) you are living in fantasy land and will be bitter and broke after failing miserably.[/quote]
This! Not just this but Fucking THIS!
A very Calculated Move will trump a Leap of Faith seven days a week.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
I have been doing some thinking about this very topic, and it was inspired by this NPR Ted Talk Radio Hour podcast that I’m going to link to.
I highly suggest you listen to this entire thing if this interests you. The part with Mike Rowe from Discovery’ Dirty Jobs is particularly fascinating and relevant.
I’m following my passion - it’s the only course that’s optional for me, because I’d be an unhappy drunk if I did anything else. But I have paid dearly for it financially in money lost if I had anywhere near a good-paying job. I am hoping it pays off in the long run for me, because I’m one of those top 1 percent at what I do I think.
That being said, a real paycheck would be nice.
[/quote]
If you go on audible, the audio book store, they offer a free trial. When you sign up you get one free book. Just sign up and get Mastery and unsubscribe lol. Horrible, I know, but I like to read and also listen to books while I’m doing other things. But I totally agree. I can’t imagine doing something I don’t enjoy. I know you won’t enjoy everything, that’s not possible, but you can find a way to do something you love to do. Maybe I’m just a dreamer , but either way, I’m going to find out and not wonder what could have been.
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Finding success it while off veering off a normal career path depends on positivity, objectivity, ability to adapt, balls, and the foresight to capitalise on opportunity. In many cases, passion has little to do with it.
[quote]SirTroyRobert wrote:
My view is that you should follow your passion. If you a passionate about something and positive, eventually through that dedication to your passion, positivity and success will find you and maybe even present you with the opportunity to combine your interests into a new “path”. [/quote]
This implies placing your bets on luck and faith. You really shouldn’t.[/quote]
Not really placing bets on luck and faith. Just can’t imagine being a “worker” my whole life. What I mean by that, is just a 9-5 job in which I don’t contribute new ideas to the world. No, I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever be a worker, but I think too many people get stuck and stay there for life. Especially today, when we’re all connected by the internet, the possibilities are endless.
[/quote]
And i’m saying the plan, defined goal and an objective mindset is what makes any endeavour a success. Passion ensures nothing and even becomes a distraction when objective decisions need to be made.
And no offense, but everytime i hear this stuff about passion, it usually either comes from a successful person telling people what they want to hear, or a marginally successful person teaching people how to succeed.