consciouSynthesis

Please Note: I first published this article on 15^th Dec 2009 at my previous blog!

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I write to add my thoughts to a thought provoking article at QuestForBalance:  Net worth vs. self worth – the paradox of passion. I encourage you to find time to follow the link and devour the content. You will not regret!

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To put you in perspective I will start here by quoting the first few lines that set the stage for a compelling rendering of the “paradox of passion”.

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“There is a current trend in society (at least in the states) that I find misleading and dangerous. You have probably seen more that a few people preaching the “freedom” gospel, encouraging others to leave their “boring” jobs with the assurance that financial success is a natural result of following your passion.”

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What follows, as I said is a thought provoking exposé to which I now add this opinion.

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My Opinion

I can’t think of anything that is as attractive as making money doing what you love to do; that is not to say that everyone wants to generate an income from their passion. It just means that given a choice whether to make money doing what you love or being “trapped” doing what you don’t like just because you need the money, you most certainly would choose the former… and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact it is an intelligent choice!

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However, people have a choice as what they will do to earn a living … even when that choice is the choice that they have no choice and therefore should get “stuck” with a job they don’t like.

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Contrary to what we have been made to believe, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with a 9 -5 job. There is nothing wrong with old fashioned work. By the way, not everyone who goes to a “job” is “stuck” in that job. Many love what they do and find honour in the sweat of their brow… even when it comes from working for someone else.

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As Steven Covey once said, “organizations are where most of the worlds work gets done.” It is old fashioned work that has blessed humanity with the many things that make life in the 21st century something that our forefathers couldn’t even dream about. And this work is done by old fashioned workers, a number of whom find pride in what they do.

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If you desire to quit your day job to “pursue your dream”; you are at liberty to do so; just don’t despise the man and woman who is a wage earner because they too are pursuing their dreams!!

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Passion vs. Profit: how should we live?

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1. Have a Passion

Have a passion; it doesn’t have to be something that will bring financial rewards; it just has to be something that you love; if your intention is to make money from it and you are able to do so, that’s okay. Otherwise, choose it because you love it; it is your undeniable passion right?

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2. Have an Intention for your Passion

Have an intention for what you are passionate about; what’s in it for you? What do you want to get out of it? You don’t have to tell the whole world; at the very least whisper it to yourself. If it is money you want say so and go out to look for it with it. The money will not come by virtue of your intention; it will not even come by virtue of your action – but have an intention anyway… even if that intention is not seeking any material gain from pursuing your passion.

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3. Remember that an Intention is just that – an Intention

Whatever you intend with and for your passion, whether it’s just contribution or reaping the monetary benefits that may come with your pursuit of passion; know that it is just that – an intention. Manifestation is something else which may or may not come because of many different factors … but intend and pursue anyway.

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4. Don’t Get Hooked up on the Result; Cherish Experience

This will sound philosophical but I think it is achievable for anyone; you will need to redefine value, true value. Many people are so hooked up on results to the point that they forget to have an experience. Ultimately, that’s what we are here to do… to have an experience. Don’t get trapped by the object of your intention; value the experience; some of the greatest lessons of life will come through the door of what seems like failure. Take every opportunity and grow from it. That is what it means to be growth-oriented; you will never know failure that way.

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5. Never Postpone Happiness

The secret to happiness is that it must never be postponed on account of goals that have not been accomplished (yet). If you want to postpone your happiness to the time when your passion begins to bring profit, you might as well postpone your life.

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Of course, I have stated it in a way that makes it seem an easy thing to do. It is not easy, but you will agree with me that it is necessary. Work with necessity, not easy.

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Are you a wage earner? Do you feel trapped in your day job? Are you seeking “freedom” from that job?

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That is a good aspiration if you have one but I can tell you that more than the freedom from your job, what you should seek is freedom from self.

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The greatest freedom you will get is not freedom from what you think binds you; the greatest freedom you will get will be freedom from the wrong thinking that a job can bind you. If a man is ever bound, it can only be by himself. For how can another, bind an individual? Self is the only task master. In truth, we are never really bound; we just don’t know we are free.

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A wage earner who is a slave is still a slave when he leaves his job to follow his passion… only that in the later instance, he changes the task master; he becomes the slave of his passion.

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Passion and Profit – Is there a relationship?

There is neither a relationship nor is there a “no relationship” between passion and profit; not in the intrinsic sense. The relationship is something you have to establish as an individual; whether it gets established is a different thing. Following your passion does not necessarily lead to gaining profit. Just as true, following your passion does not necessarily lead to not gaining profit.

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You are however free to establish this relationship in your pursuit. The most important thing is to know that it is NOT guaranteed. There are no guarantees in life.

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Passion vs. Profit – How Shall We Live?

Follow your passion; if you want to profit from your passion, intend it and seek to work it out. The “positive” results are not however guaranteed  (atleast not in the objective sense)…and you must be accepting of that.