Following your passion is questionable career advice.
Converting your passion into a career is risky — whether entrepreneurial or artistic or both. Our passions change often. If your livelihood is built on a waning interest, your passion may burden rather than benefit you.
Following one’s passions, though, is essential to living a fulfilling life.
Balance is less work/life and more consume/create.
The more time I spend creating, the more fulfilled I feel.
I use the term “creating” liberally. This essay is a creation. I’m also exploring ultra-marathoning — creating a better self. I’m learning new guitar songs — creating a better repertoire.
It’s easy to associate creating exclusively with making art — painting, drawing, writing. I think this is what causes friends to say, “I’m not creative.” But making art is only a subset of creating.
I’ve yet to run into anyone who can’t create something. Coding, knitting, tinkering. All qualify.
I consume too. When my mind is tired, I might play Donkey Kong (I’m an 80’s arcade fan), watch an NFL game or a movie like The Shining. Too much consumption, though, makes John a dull boy.
I try to tip the balance in favor of creating. When the scale displays high consumption levels, I need a reset.
Consistency helps. I set up my days so that when my mind is fresh, I create.
What will we create today?