"Passion" for your work

[ygolo]

Educators Corner: Peter Diamandis, X PRIZE Foundation - George Zachary, Charles River Ventures - Rewarding Sky-High Innovation

I recommend listening to this ot anyone thinking about their careers...
especially if you are interested in some of the back story of privatized space flight.

The early part of the discussion set the tone. There were a lot of quotes that I have somewhat committed to memory.

I wanted to find out peoples thoughts on them.

1. Peter: I feel I'm one of those very luck people who had a calling in life... and those of you who know what I mean know what I mean.

2. Peter: [...]and it was one of those things that hit me *click* It was like wow, my mission in life IS this. ..and it was ya-know and IS to open up the space frontier.
   George: How did y.. How did you know that?
   Peter: It just...It's inherently in my heart..it was something I...I knew [...]

3. Peter: If you're not sure what you want to do, go back and figure out what you were REALLY passionate about as a kid.

4. Peter: You can, you CAN make a career out. of. anything. So it may as well be something you really. really. passionately. love. Because if you are gointa do anything big in this world. Its gonna be hard... and its gonna fail over-n-over-n-over-n-over and over again...and if you don't love it, you're gonna give up along the way before it...it happens

5. Peter: [...] at the end of the day, all these things are hard, and you really have to do what you love. Because, that's were you're gonna t...THATS were you're going to have the greatest...You're gonna day dream about it, you're gonna have the insightful insights, and the brilliance, and you'll be most passionate in communicating to people about it, and therefore they'll want to invest in you, you will be happiest during it, so everything aligns. If you're doing something for somebody else, life's too short, stop.

6. Peter: [...]Go and do something you're absolutely exited about-and if you don't know what you're excited about, take a moment to think about it and go and remember what you were excited about as a kid.

What do you think about those quotes? (Numbered for your convenience)

Any other thoughts about passion for your work?

[Nadir]

I only read the quotes.
Viewed generally, it's hard to say that these are "right" or "wrong", or whether I "agree" or "disagree". I would venture to guess however, that "making a career out of anything", "having to do what one loves", and "doing something one is absolutely excited" are probably easier said than done for most people -- the quotes, although valid, are too idealistic. And that is something that could be said for many, many things, not just these quotes -- look at something like the The Secret and its premises, and see the situation for yourself.

Put simply, I don't think Peter Diamandis would have uttered these words if not for his current situation -- the bias of which is showing through what he's preaching. In that light, I wouldn't regard these quotes as anything more than quotes.

[Kiddo]

I found my passion in life. It's a strange feeling. Like the same feeling you have when you are in high school and realize you can be anything. It's a feeling of endless possibilities.

Of course the downside is that passion is a blinding flame. It's almost impossible to believe anything anyone says that doesn't correspond with what I believe to be true in the quest for my ideal. It's giving yourself completely to a calling and that leads to becoming incredibly emotionally committed to what you do. I now believe if you can't care about your work, then you need to get out and get out quick.

[Seanan]

I'm doing it this way cause my memory's not that good and I hate typing in that little window.

I wanted to find out peoples thoughts on them.

Quote:
Peter: I feel I'm one of those very luck people who had a calling in life... and those of you who know what I mean know what I mean.

I agree with that but its similar to 3 & 6 I think. I was born knowing how to draw and paint. I also had a way with and love for animals getting them them to do things when no one else could. In college, I started in pre-med to be a vet and then had to transfer to Texas where the only vet school was Texas A&M. In those years, females weren't allowed in the school... 3 a year were waivered but only if they had been on the Dean's Honor Roll (4.0... don't know what it is now) their entire time. I missed one semester (3.8) so I was out. Probably just as well because I don't think I ever would have adjusted to seeing the negligence/cruelty or putting them down. That left art and I didn't think I could make a living at it... another questions pertains and will pick it up there.

Quote:
Peter: [...]and it was one of those things that hit me *click* It was like wow, my mission in life IS this. ..and it was ya-know and IS to open up the space frontier.
George: How did y.. How did you know that?
Peter: It just...It's inherently in my heart..it was something I...I knew [...]

I knew... I was driven to draw and paint. Lived to do it rather than the other way around.

Quote:
Peter: If you're not sure what you want to do, go back and figure out what you were REALLY passionate about as a kid.

Yes, I was passionate about it as a child... spent hours at it while other kids played... it was play... I still feel like I'm playing when I do it and went through some guilt about that in fact before my work started selling. All kids probably draw but it was even on my mind when I wasn't doing it.

Quote:
Peter: You can, you CAN make a career out. of. anything. So it may as well be something you really. really. passionately. love. Because if you are gointa do anything big in this world. Its gonna be hard... and its gonna fail over-n-over-n-over-n-over and over again...and if you don't love it, you're gonna give up along the way before it...it happens

I totally agree with this. If you fail (in your own eyes) over and over again and still keep on keeping on, you're in the right field.

Quote:
Peter: [...] at the end of the day, all these things are hard, and you really have to do what you love. Because, that's were you're gonna t...THATS were you're going to have the greatest...You're gonna day dream about it, you're gonna have the insightful insights, and the brilliance, and you'll be most passionate in communicating to people about it, and therefore they'll want to invest in you, you will be happiest during it, so everything aligns. If you're doing something for somebody else, life's too short, stop.

This is what I mentioned in #1.. definitely if its on your mind all the time; its your area. But, what held me back was 1) I didn't think I could support myself and kids in what I loved because 2) I'm an introvert and definitely not good at selling myself or my work. What I didn't think about was that mentors/sponsors know artists. I was too green to know about mentors/sponsors. They look at the work and not the personality of the artist. You don't have to sell your work to them; the work sells itself. From there on out, they do the sales job (sponsors and gallery owners early on) and you never really have to deal with the public unless you just want to. Of course, now, I do meet with some clients and, oddly, have suspected sometimes that they buy my stuff mostly because of my personality... very strange since I won't give an inch on creative license. All-in-all, where there's a will, there's a way.

Quote:
Peter: [...]Go and do something you're absolutely exited about-and if you don't know what you're excited about, take a moment to think about it and go and remember what you were excited about as a kid.

This seems like a repeat but, yes, I agree with that. So much, when trying to decide, can interfere like a quest for money, status, family tradition even and one comes out of all that deciding nothing or being doubtful so... I totally agree... go back to childhood where your innate abilities and interests first showed up.

[sriv]

The only thing I have had a passion for is learning. I hope it stays that way.

I do not care about having a passion in my work. Work can be tolerated.

[ygolo]

I seem to have a passion for just being exposed to concepts. Not really even understanding them completely, but just to get the gist of an idea.

Then the idea becomes fodder for my day-dreaming. I only seek to actually understand things that I will then try to use to do something else (prompted again by day-dreaming).

Originally Posted by Kiddo

I found my passion in life. It's a strange feeling. Like the same feeling you have when you are in high school and realize you can be anything. It's a feeling of endless possibilities.

I am jealous.

Originally Posted by Seanan

I totally agree with this. If you fail (in your own eyes) over and over again and still keep on keeping on, you're in the right field.

I am naturally persistent, so I think this would have been true no matter which field I chose.

[Athenian200]

I think that if you're in a position to pursue the job you really want, you should go for it. But I don't think it's possible for everyone to seek a fulfilling job, because sometimes you just have to take what ever you can get in order to survive.

[colmena]

Thanks for the link. I'll have a read and watch later when I have my headphones.

Reminds me of the Steve Jobs speech. He had a couple of good points.

Text of Steve Jobs' Commencement address (2005)
YouTube - Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

[walking flour]

Originally Posted by Athenian200

I think that if you're in a position to pursue the job you really want, you should go for it. But I don't think it's possible for everyone to seek a fulfilling job, because sometimes you just have to take what ever you can get in order to survive.

I wonder about this, but how do you know if you are in a position to pursue the job?
and..
I'm young. I could continue going to college for what I want. When i graduate, I could find out that I just don't quite 'cut it' for that fulfilling job, or maybe the things I love won't make me money. Then I end up just taking anything I can get...
Well I suppose the good news is that I spent all that time having fun with what I wanted to have fun with in college?

But I still don't like to fool myself. I'd rather do something knowing I'll probably fail than have unrealistic expectations... Then it is all good.

Don't know where I was going with this.

[Randomnity]

Originally Posted by Athenian200

I think that if you're in a position to pursue the job you really want, you should go for it. But I don't think it's possible for everyone to seek a fulfilling job, because sometimes you just have to take what ever you can get in order to survive.

That's only true in the short-term. Everyone can (and IMO should) work towards getting a fulfilling job, even working whatever crappy job you have to to survive, whether you have to take night classes part-time or volunteer here and there or whatever. If you don't even try, of course you're not going to find a fulfilling job.

I realize I'm saying that as a naive student, but really anyone who doesn't have a family can go back to being a student full-time, too. You just have to be willing to live as a student.

Re the OP, I do feel a strong calling towards my field...but it really isn't helping me narrow it down, because I love everything. Too many interests. So I guess I don't feel a calling to a specific job, per se.

It kinds does fit with me as a kid, because I always got excited about nature in all its forms (pets, zoos, gardens, forests, etc etc)....and still do.