Pursue Your Passion

A 17th century writer named Francois de la Rochefoucauld said, “If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength.”

And it’s true. Think about it.

Fear is what prevents us from going after the things we desire. Whether those wants are tied into career, love, hobbies or life in general has little to do with the issue. What we miss, however, in questioning our motivations and variations of possible outcomes rather than simply seizing the moment and creating a life of our own design, is that the clock is ticking… and it truly is a lot better to be able to say you tried and failed than it is to be stuck with the reality that you never tried at all. Not to mention the fact that you very possibly may succeed!

The following are some things to keep in mind when you’re wondering whether or not you should go for it. Remember – if you’ve examined your desire and you’re sure it’s what you want, 9 out of 10 times, the answer to that question is a resounding yes!

Thought 1: The clock is ticking
Unfortunately, there are a lot of things you can do over, but you can never recapture time. As a child I used to wonder why so many songs lamented time’s passage, after all, there will (almost) always be another Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and so on… But the repetition of days and months does not allow for the repetition of years. You don’t get a “do-over” in life, at least not within this consciousness and at the end of the day, when it comes to your life, the only critic that matters is you.

Thought 2: Knowing what you want is half the battle
So many times we just take what’s handed to us and figure that the best we can do is make lemons from lemonade. Rather than being reactive, you’ll find you’re much happier when you’re proactive. Make a list of some things you’d really like to do. Cover big things and small – from learning to cook a certain dish to traveling the world to having children. Now prioritize. Then, start at the top and go for it. Do everything in your power to hit every item on the list. And feel free to do this more than once. I’ve made several lists – because priorities change. Just don’t stop having them – or deciding upon yours for yourself.

Thought 3: Claim your voice, find your confidence
Sometimes, putting our thoughts on paper in a journal (or on the internet – what do you think a blog is for?!), makes us more likely to follow through with our plans. It also allows us to find desires we never knew we had, see patterns that continue to repeat, and log memories that will sustain us in later days. Writing down your thoughts and feelings helps you to observe yourself. It gives you a new perspective from which you can understand life’s ups and downs and figure out how you can further enrich your existence.