Passion or Profession- A Tough Call
I still remember the first time when I met Nikhil, then aged sixteen. Clad in baggy jeans, oversized T-shirt, and heavy metal chain around his neck, one look at him, anybody could have mistaken him for a professional rapper. He swayed the crowd in the party with his choicest selection of music. After the party, I personally congratulated him and enquired about his future plans. With beaming eyes and infectious smile, he responded enthusiastically that he wanted to turn his passion into profession. He wanted to be a Disc Jockey considering his love and fervour for music.
Over the years, I got busy with life and did not get the opportunity to meet him. Few weeks back, when I met him at a common friend’s party, I was surprised to see suave and debonair Investment Banker. The puerile charm and bright dreams got lost in the way. I could not contain my curiosity and asked him about his DJ plans. He just smiled and shrugged that it was a thing of the passé as his passion cannot earn him the big bucks. Interacting with him, I thought to myself that why most of us are unable to turn our passion into profession.
In growing years, you must have nurtured dreams that might have looked bizarre to people. At that point in time you were not scared about the results, salary, and perks. All you want to do was follow your heart and fulfil a dream. People who decide to pursue alternative career paths like chef, photography, internet marketing, and fashion designing often face criticism from family and friends. Parents always advise children to take up safe career options like medicine, engineering, CA. as these professions are considered to safe and secured. This is because the purse-proud society measures success not by the talent but by the wallet.
History stands testimony to the success of people who have followed their hearts. A young boy aged 12 years astonished the Windsor Public Library for reading every science book in the Library. Twelve years later, while in college, he was personally invited by a renowned car making company to develop computer display system for the cars. Just two months to graduation, he decided to quit the degree to start his own company. This NASDAQ listed, Canadian headquartered company, developer of Blackberry, was founded by the maverick Mike Lazaridis.
We often look around success stories and wonder maybe they are born with it, maybe they have the resources but the truth is that these are the people who followed their passion. The great men of the ilk Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, and Dhirubhai Ambani had one thing in common. They had the conviction and dedication to turn their dreams into reality. It is important to believe in your dreams. Before convincing the world, it is imperative to convince yourself. Most of the people fail to identify their true calling and lose focus midway. Do not shy away from pursuing your passion, even if it takes you away from home, pays peanuts, and offers an ordinary life. This is because the inner satisfaction derived is beyond the monetary compensation.
So, bring out those old dancing shoes, wipe the dust away from that old camera lens, buy canvas to add colour to life, and get that guitar out of the box that has merely become a centre piece in your drawing room. Spend time with your passion, rekindle the lost love, and give your life a new makeover. Life is too short to mull over the lost opportunities. Each day is a new beginning, so start today. Maybe, one day I could find the lost vigour back in Nikhil’s eyes when he decides to pursue his passion of playing music and enthralling people.