PASSION – THE PRIME MOVER OF LIFE

 

                  “Passion is the key that opens the door to joy and abundance.” 

                                                                                             David Cuschieri

 

Passion is the most vital fuel to live a fulfilled life. We have goals and plans, but if we want to accomplish what we desire, we must have Passion for doing it. 

 

You name any achiever – be it Lata Mangeshkar as a singer, Amitabh Bachchan as an actor, Abdul Kalam as a scientist, Gulzar as a poet, Steve Jobs as an innovator, Sachin Tendulkar as a cricketer, J.K.Rowling as an author, Walt Disney as a cartoonist, Rafa Nadal as a Tennis player, Edmund Hillary as a mountaineer – the commonality in all of them is fierce Passion for their job. Albert Einstein once said: “ I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”

 

It is not about only celebrities. We all come across many individuals who exhibit remarkable Passion for whatever they do. I distinctly remember a janitor singing and enjoying his not-so-exciting work. He said, “ I love what I am required to do”. So it is vital to note that Passion is not related to monetary gains or fame but more about self-fulfilment & finding yourself. And that is what matters at the end of the day!

 

Just ponder – what would life be without Passion? Passion is the “ENERGY” which drives us to perform to our fullest with a stride in our feet and song in our hearts. It is never too late to explore one if we have not found a passion for anything.

 

Passion should not be limited to our profession. I have known many busy doctors passionate about photography, singing & hiking. Conversely, I have also met doctors who are only passionate about their professional work. The most beneficial outcome of having Passion is that we always stay calm. We are full of joy and energy. Moreover, we always feel energized if we do the job we love. Rather than feeling low at the thought of going to work, we always look forward to it. 

 

It is expected to find many without Passion. Their lives roll on automatic mode. Why So? - There are many reasons for not finding passion: fear of failure, low self-esteem, not listening to one’s heart, and hesitation to undertake a job that is not a societal norm leading them to live a listless life. They fail to perceive that Passion is the essence of who they are. One must unwrap it and find it. Remember, Passion is born when we recognize and unearth our potential.

 

A job undertaken with Passion becomes a joy and not stressful. When we work hard for something we do not care about, it leads to stress, but when we work hard for things we care about, it becomes our Passion.

 

Though PASSION & PURPOSE are interconnected, they are not the same. Simply put, purpose is WHY we are doing it, whereas Passion is HOW we do it. I read somewhere a beautiful quote which explains purpose and Passion very well – “Purpose is the reason for your journey, Passion is the fire that lights the way “ (Anonymous). 

 

Passion also ushers in a positive attitude. Steve Jobs once said: “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

 

A red alert here-  Passion can be dangerous, too. The world suffered the most because of Hitler’s Passion for ruling the world. When passion ‘blinds’ you, the outcome is catastrophic. I have encountered many patients who neglected their health because they were passionate about their work. Their Passion entirely consumed them to the extent of damaging their health. It is not just the health; the relationship can also suffer because of blind Passion for work overlooking other aspects of life.

 

Some people have raised the possibility of losing one’s identity because of ‘obsessive’ Passion. We want to grow with accomplishments and goals – OK, but the danger is we try to change ourselves into the person we need to become to make our dreams a reality. Passion is stripping away our identity—debatable opinion – but indeed a solid thought to contemplate.

 

Passion is thus a double-edged sword. Some psychologists have labelled Passion with disastrous outcomes as ‘Obsessive Passion’. While nearly all passions can lead to feelings of obsession (viz., an Olympic athlete), obsessive Passion refers to those motivated by external achievement and recognition more than internal satisfaction. With obsessive Passion, people tie their self-worth to the validation an activity might bring and become more passionate about that than doing the action itself.

 

Thus, Passion can be a wonderful gift, but it can become an awful curse if we are not careful. Understanding the difference is critical to cultivating long-term health, happiness, and performance and avoiding suffering.

 

Let me end with a quote by Maya Angelou – “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with ‘some’ passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.”

 

Is it not up to us?