I’ve been hearing it from a few famous people like Ted Talker Terri Trespicio and one of my favorite authors Elizabeth Gilbert.
Because I write about following your passion on the regular, I spent time considering their argument. And here’s where I think a lot of people getting passion and purpose wrong.
MYTH: Passion has to be your job.
What Terri says in her Ted Talk is that many people have jobs like window washers who are not passionate about windows. I think this makes an assumption that people who have jobs that are less flashy aren’t passionate about what they do. It’s also incorrect to assume that jobs have to be what we’re passionate about. Many people find passion in other areas of their lives.
MYTH: Passion is a set thing like there is only one truly love.
As we get older, we learn more about our selves. While I have always loved writing, my passions have changed over time.
MYTH: Passion is for elitist.
I think this statement is elitist. While I understand that people need money to live, that doesn’t mean those that work to survive don’t and can’t have dreams. Or that you can’t find your passion in other things. See myth 2.
MYTH: There’s too much pressure to choose a passion.
When I was a young adult, I felt pressured to find the perfect mate and the perfect major. Our society is set up to believe in fairy tales. Having something you’re passionate about doesn’t create pressure. Our society creates pressure.
MYTH: The problem with having a passion (or insert life partner or anything else you think will make you happier) is that you’ll put your life on hold until you find it.
I disagree with this statement vehemently. I did not wait for the perfect passion to pursue it just like I didn’t wait until I met my husband to date. Are people really waiting in the wings to get jobs or do volunteer opportunities until they find what’s perfect for them?
Sometimes the career we are longing for hasn’t been created yet. I wanted to be a coach before it existed.
Sometimes we need to experiment with different things before our confidence, skill and opportunities catch up to what we want to do.
I understand the energy behind some people’s dislike for passion. But it’s not passion itself, it’s the myth behind what it actually is.
Passion isn’t a scary word that should trigger you into a self-worth spiral. If it does, maybe you should take a look at that. Maybe there’s some self-reflection involved in why you’re wrapping all of your energy on what other people think.
Dictionary.com defines passion as:
“a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything.”
It’s simply an emotion.
We use what we’re passionate about as a clue. The opposite of passion is apathy, which I think is a lot more dangerous. Living a life with passion to me is seeing passion as a verb, a living breathing active emotion that directs our course, reminds us what’s important and helps us to become who we were meant to be.
Terri ends with, “You don’t follow your passion. Your passion follows you.”
This is a catchy phrase. And I could never speak as eloquently as she does. But I don’t understand what this means. I think we follow one passion until another one comes along.
The real problem here is guilt, which can be attributed to anything. For example, feeling ashamed for not having the perfect passion is synonymous with anything in life. Not being the perfect parent or the perfect spouse.
The solution isn’t to get rid of passion finding, it’s to stop judging ourselves.
Passion is just one aspect of living your life. It is there to help you find your purpose. It is there to provide enjoyment in your life. It is there to direct you. It is not everything. If you aren’t passionate about anything, you are not a loser or unworthy or unsuccessful. But maybe you need to search to find out something you’re passionate about. Passion brings joy. It’s an emotion with a purpose. And lastly, your passion can change over time.
I have many passions: writing, reading, art, helping others.
They provide different outlets for my creative expression. They are ways that I find purpose. They are clues and bread crumbs.
Don’t blame the word. Lose the energy surrounding it. Be gentle with yourself. Recognize that passion is like flour in a recipe for cake. It’s essential, but so are other things.
Where you are right now is important regardless if you’re single, between jobs, or unsure of what you’re passionate about.
That’s how we grow. We take back the power of our own trajectory. We carve our own way.
What do you think about passion?