Last night, I chanced to listen personally to the first winner of The Apprentice Asia, Jonathan Yabut. On his talk about Managing Your Boss, he shared that just because you cannot see the top of the mountain while you are trekking to the summit doesn't necessarily mean you should switch mountains. Sometimes, you're just going through a difficult path out of the ravine.
True. This concept is not only applicable to promotions in the workplace but to the big P itself, Passion. I would like to believe that passion is a very tricky concept. Passion is the desire of the heart. More often than not, most people wouldn't figure out soon what makes their hearts beat faster. For the lucky few who have come to realization of what their passion is, the hard truth is that only when they have decided to fulfill their passion will they see that the path to the top is zig-zagged or hasn't even been paved at all. And at the first encounter of difficulty, many have already switched mountains for an easier, rewarding one.
Most people stick with the idea around the quote that if you choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life. On the contrary, finding, then fostering, and following your passion is just the opposite. It needs constant work. Yes, passion needs dedicated constant work and most of the times, you will have to work for it without getting paid. Sometimes, fulfilling your passion may mean a different thing from your vision of a lucrative career, and that's ok.
Declaring that you will reach the top of the mountain is the first and easier step. Keeping your eyes glued to it is the more difficult and challenging one, especially when it does not bring money to the table!
How you manage your passion, being that ultimate desire of your heart, determines your level of life satisfaction and happiness. Decide wisely what you would do with it.