Don’t Follow Your Passion

Passion Mindset
Nowadays as a young fellow who just have graduated from college we have excessively heard an advice “follow your passion”. It’s like the only and grand path leading to the happiness. I have talked with many of my friends and most them are still on the passion-discovery process. They don’t have any particular passion. It’s like a common issue and you aren’t alone in this case. It generates a symptom that people don’t feel contented unless they have found “The One”, source of ultimate happiness, we call it Passion. Many people believe that the world has been preparing something to us. It is majestic and noble destiny. We are the special one, meant to be unique and grand. The world owes us. The only way to seize our grand destiny is by follow the only one path, Passion.
In consequence, it leads to the question and discomposure, “Am I on the right track? What is my passion?” And those curiosity make us frightened, “I will never be happy and contented unless I’ve found my passion. I have aged and I don’t know what my passion is hence I’m terrified”. So people contemplate trying to catch what the world tells us. They’ve drown in the obscurity of passion discovery.

So as we are talking in the same page, I herewith give you the definition of the passion from urban dictionary.

“Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required to do it. It is more than just enthusiasm or excitement, passion is ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind body and soul into something as is possible”.

In this article I would like to discuss why not to follow your Passion. It’s not based on scientifically and profound research. It just popped out in my mind as the result of self contemplation.

Why Not to follow your Passion

1. Pre-Existing Passion doesn’t Exist
It is harsh fact that pre-existing passion doesn’t exist. The world doesn’t owe you anything. You aren’t destined on something. You are not special as the chosen one for the specific noble and majestic assignment. You are not an exception. You’re same like everybody else, no one has prepared something to you and the world treats you the same. You have completely control over yourself, your willingness. You were given the blank paper to write on to. (As the elaboration you read the article on the preferences links : Why Generation Y Yuppies are unhappy).

Knowing the fact that pre-existing passion doesn’t exist. YOU DON’T NEED TO FIND IT (since it doesn’t exist anyway). You don’t have something to follow after. You are free to write your own story and become whatever you want.

“People with the passion mindset ask “What do I really want?” which breeds an obsession with whether or not a job is “right” for them. They become minutely aware of everything they dislike about their work and their job satisfaction and happiness plummets. By contrast, the craftsman’s mindset acknowledges that no matter what field you’re in, success is always about quality. Once you’re focused on the quality of the work you’re doing now rather than whether or not it’s right for you, you won’t hesitate to do what is necessary to improve it” – Sebastian Klein, FastCompany.com

2. Passion is Artificial, Cultivated

So here we are, on the 1st point above it stated that Pre-Existing Passion doesn’t exist. How does someone find their passion? I believe that passion breeds along the process. It is cultivated. Students in the college or high school are in the process of passion development. You can be passionate become a musician, athletes or engineer. What you need to do is cultivate it by focus and improving skill. It is like craftsman. First step, he determined what he want to build. The second, he identified the required skills. After that he did much practice to build a best craft. The more advance skills that you have, the better craft will be made. Regarding to the ’10,000 hours rule’ from Malcom Gladwell in the Outliers, he said that to become mastery at something you need practicing of specific task for a total around 10,000 hours. I believe passion works two ways. You need passion and consistency to spend such a very long hours in practicing. And in the contrary during the learning process actually you are cultivating and developing passion.

the craftsman mindset is the foundation for creating work you love

3. People Love their Work Because of Nuanced Factors
Based on the Tracer Study ITB 2014 survey conducted by ITB student center reveals that the main reason (50.09%) for the alumni choose the job is opportunity for learning. It means they prefer to strengthen their skills and mentality. Meanwhile passion is only considered as 1.9%. Only 2 of 100 respondents choose passion for the main reason to choose the job.
I believe for the most people they love their work because of nuanced factors, they are :
– Appreciation
– Company Value Alignment
– Potential Capitalization
– Coworkers, Bosses, Subordinates
– Family, etc

4. Follow your Passion doesn’t Guarantee you to succeed
It’s clear. It needs more than that to succeed: opportunity, skills, etc.

Conclusion

1. Stop thinking that you’re special. The fact is, right now, you’re not special. You’re another completely inexperienced young person who doesn’t have all that much to offer yet. You can become special by working really hard for a long time.

2. Craftsman Mindset over passion mindset. Find out what you are good, work hard at becoming an expert in that discipline and you will find success. Spending hours looking inside yourself for your true purpose and passion, will only lead to frustration. Take a decision and take a leap.

References
http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/09/why-generation-y-yuppies-are unhappy.html?doing_wp_cron=1418533809.2130489349365234375000
99u.com/videos/22339/cal-newport-follow-your-passion-is-bad-advice