From the time you are in preschool you are asked what you want to be when you grow up and told the sky is the limit. So what happens to that same support when you turn 18? Once you turn 18 you’re asked the same question, but after you give an answer a whole discussion panel starts firing questions at you:
"What are you going to do with that?”
“Where do you see yourself?”
“Is the pay good? Have you looked up the benefits?”
Our country was built on the idea of creation, every individual has the power to create a dream that they want to base their life on and follow, offering their service to the world while following their passion. Now when you talk to individuals about their passions and their careers the starting line is: “I do this but what I actually wanted to do was [blank], but there just no money in it.” Why are we okay with settling all of the sudden? Why are the same individuals that asked the preschoolers what they wanted to be and encouraged them to follow that dream the same individual that asked the 18-year-old about job security and “if it pays good?"
I myself fell into the career fear choices and chose a career that had great job security and plenty of benefits, but halfway through I decided I have one life to live and even if my passion isn’t the common choice or the reasonable route, I wasn’t going to allow myself to settle. I switched from a safe career choice to a communications major where I will get asked until the day I retire “what do you plan on doing with that degree?” but you know what? I love it, and I am happy and believe it or not while I follow what I love opportunities have thrown themselves at my door, opportunities I would have never gained playing it safe.
I hope whoever you are, you are following your passion. Whether you are 18, 23 or even 56, be that 4-year-old kid that wants to walk on the moon because as far as I’m concerned following your heart doesn’t need a set plan nor a deadline. If you want to travel, buy the ticket. You want to open up that coffee shop, this world thrives on coffee shops do it! Stop worrying about the silent judges of if its possible or not, rather you fail a million times and become that person you always wanted to be than to be led by fear. Whatever excites your soul go do that, because this world needs more passion.
You know what I’ll let you in on a little secret, people love to support other people when they’re doing what they love because that feeling they give off is contagious. Whether your passion is traveling or starting up that business please do yourself the favor and release the fear and go for it. Maybe you don’t know what your passion is yet, and that’s okay but as long as you find the time to do things that you love, your passion will figure itself out. Life isn’t meant to be lived in the safe zone, there is no rulebook, failure doesn’t exist if you are chasing what serves your happiness.
