Following Your Passion

One of the most important lessons we have learned so far. Your passions are there for a reason and most of the time, your best work will come out of your passions. So work it out!

Everyone has talent, not everyone uses it

Is there such thing as an untalented person? The answer is both yes and no. When someone is honest, and is following their calling or their passion, it is always evidence of talent. It may take time for that talent to emerge fully, but emerge it always does.

Consider the hit film “Little Miss Sunshine“. This award-winner offers an illustration of following passions and doing what we love for the pure joy of it. It also demonstrated what happens when we are attempting things to which we are not actually called, things we’re doing only for money, and which in our failures might identify us as untalented.

Though that is one film and one set of examples, it is a strong illustration of the need to do what you love or face being unhappy forever after. However, it also shows us that we do have to have ethics if we are to do what we love, follow our hearts, and succeed. We must take what we learn and turn that into insight, and we must use that insight to guide us towards our truest talents.

Your passion is probably a good indicator of where your true talent exists.

For example, are you someone who dreams of working as a cinematographer, website designer, or business owner, and yet you are doing something entirely different? Why? Perhaps you are more worried about the bank balance than your happiness? This is a common problem, but it can be changed.

These are ideas that have to remain with anyone who is starting a business, or who is hoping to grow their business. It is also something that creative leaders and people known as “creatives” must keep in mind too. After all, any of these groups will find that doing what they love may not be lucrative and financially rewarding from the start. In fact, it can be tough to follow your heart and believe you are talented when the paychecks or income is scarce.

However, keep in mind a bit of advice about “talent” from writer Deepak Rajpal. He points out that everyone has talent but that we are divided into three possible categories – having it, knowing we have it, and those of us who use it. And as another writer, Shakespeare, says, “There’s the rub.”

We know we have driving passions and that these passions are related to our natural talents. However, using them is another thing and we may discover that we choose a profession based on education rather than talent. Hence that director or cinematographer who finds themselves in a less creative career.

Don’t ignore your passion. While collaboration and teamwork can feel like you are not using your talents, that is not the case. If you work with like-minded people, passionate about their work, you are on the right track.

Keep going. Next week we will discuss following your heart.