Passion- Do You Have One? Five People - Who Must Have a Passion

Passion is something which feeds and soothes our soul, which makes us happy, which we desperately wait to do, for which we have very strong feelings; we may call it our addiction or irresistible enjoyment.

Although the word passion originated from Latin and means ‘suffering’ but the word has transformed into different meanings with time and today it denotes something which we love to do and can sacrifice (or suffer) many things for it. Why do we often hear that one must have a passion? Who all should have one? Young generation.... Children.....so that they can build a career? No!
I would say everyone. Yes all of us should have a passion.

1.      Young Adults:

Recently a few friends of mine requested me to add topics like ‘what questions to expect in an interview, how to answer them or how to clear interviews’ etc. in the blog.

Interview, is the most important thing and its preparation, a stressful process for all those who are on the verge of finishing their course and desperately looking for a job but believe me you will definitely be successful if you really work for it, need it and deserve it.

But prior to all this, you will need to think and rethink about a few questions.

·        Is this the kind of job you always wanted to do or you want it because it the most coveted job and will fill your bank accounts.

·        Is this your passion?

·        Is this a step towards your life goals?

Take a notebook and write. Go ahead with your choice only if answers to any these questions are ‘a yes’. A little work will help you get your dream job provided you have the mandatory degrees. The reason is ‘You are already focused’. There are hundreds of books, blogs, videos and coaching centers to help you prepare for an interview with bulleted tips, so go ahead and work. I don’t think I should play the same rhetoric tape.

But in case your answers are negative. I am sure you will not get the job and even if you manage to get the job, you will live a chaotic life and not a happy one.

You need to work on it. At the first instance, find out what you absolutely love to do. Find out your passion. You might not be willing to make it a profession but you will know how to engage yourself, how to keep yourself happy and where to find solace during your heartaches and bad times.

Chalk out your plans, clearly. Till the time you are not clear about your path, how will you go? What will you follow? Visualize! Visualize every situation.

An unknown path often take you nowhere and consequently a messed up life.

I was a typical example of such a person. I was earning good money in the Banking industry but was not happy; my life was a mess till I took the responsibility, stopped playing the blame game and chalked out my plans.

One of the most famous American Singer and Songwriter Pink is famous because, writing poems and music was her passion as a child; it gave her solace when her parents divorced. She turned her passion into her profession and today she is one of the most successful person.

Everyone must have a passion.

2.     Children
      It’s a parent’s duty to help their child find what he or she loves. It will not only help him remain focused but also will keep him away from modern time’s harmful distractions- TV, smart phone, computer and other gadgets. And once he has given sufficient time to his passion, in most of the cases, he excels in his academics too, happily. 
      My nephew is passionate about cricket; if he goes to his cricket academy, he happily studies too. 

While my own son is passionate about travelling, he wants to experience every mode of transport. He even keeps the tickets of his trips, including bus, metro and tram. 

As it is said – the sooner the better, one might soon be a prodigy in his chosen field. And who knows if he takes it up as a profession, he might turn out to be an authority in the field.

3.     Females

Even today, in most of the households, despite their education, females are home makers. They have lost their identities while working as a daughter, mother, wife, daughter-in-law etc. And if they are working they get more frustrated because of the work pressure and burden they are bearing.

In such cases, mainly those are happy who are following their passions, because then they happily do their daily chores at home. Happy females raise happy families and there is no space for frustration, cribbing or playing the blame game.

So ladies, gear up, find out your passion, work on it and live a happy life.

There is no age for a passion and if you think you must learn, then there is no age for learning too. We live in the best age, where we can learn many things just by clicking. Oh yes! Don’t get distracted by internet.

After working for about ten years in the Banking Industry, it was difficult for me to live as a homemaker; especially when I hated working in the kitchen. Kids and kitchen were never my cup of tea. But then I found my passion – travelling and writing. And here I am- in the happier lot of females. Today I love doing my chores and raising kids too.

4.     Middle Adulthood:

All those who are in their mid thirties, forties and fifties, should also work to find out their passion. It is more important or else you will enter a blank and depressed world after retirement. Initially you might feel happy but you will soon get lost. Either you will try to boss your spouse or children or grandchildren. They will find it interfering and might speak out hurtful.

If you are not like that, silence and no work will make you dull. So better, find out a passion, start working on it and you will welcome your retirement. No one will be as thrilled as you for a new life because you have already chalked out your plans, you had been waiting for this time and you will have work till the last day of your life.

Meet VJ Sharma, a passionate photographer,34; he is the founder of Travelling Camera, a blog on travelling, photography, camera and gadgets. Though he is working as a Senior Engineering Manager with a US based Big-Data Startup Sumologic and has worked for about 11 years in Adobe but he is passionate about camera, photography and his blog. VJ has definitely carved a niche for himself which keeps him busy and happy always.

5.      Senior Citizens

I know it’s difficult to change and in your 70’s and 80’s, you just want to relax and let your children take responsibilities. Let them, in fact they have to but at the same time, you must pursue something else too.

Else this attitude will make your bones stiff and hard and you will consequently land up in more medical problems.  What if your age is still 20 years more? Do you want to be on the bed for so many years? Why not take up some exercise, some hobby or interest, you always wanted to take up but could not.

Recently I read a story of a granny in her 80’s studying Geology in University. Her grandson helped her out.

My own Choti Ma (my father's younger brother's wife) , who cooks great and till now had cooked only for her children, has now started participating in some cooking and singing events too. At an age, when she has become a grandmother. She even sends her recipes to newspapers and gets thrilled when it is published. A happy old lady indeed!

So friends we must be passionate about something, else life will be dull and you might end up being a patient of depression until you are a happy and contented saintly human being.

Think deeply, meditate ( sit in a meditative posture and imagine the powerful positive light energy passing through you, keep praying God to show you the right path and the purpose of your life in case you are not clear) and find out what are your life goals. Where do you want to be; being very clear write about your life - after five years, ten years, twenty and even fifty years from now?

This is not a one day practice, do this for about a month or two. I bet you will start having some clarity about your life.

I would suggest this practice to the retired ones too. Believe me, retirement doesn’t mean end of life. It just means a freedom; it’s a life you always wanted to live when you were in job. So what if you have lost on some health, start following your passion and I bet a new life will infuse into your old body, rejuvenating you and making you younger than you are and feel.

 Even if they don’t want to work, they should have small chunks of goals for their good health, community service and happy life.

Read this notebook often and you will find your way and things will start

It might sound rhetoric but I would always ask every young person to