Passion and the passage of time
I have a number of, what you may refer to as, pet peeves. Sure, mortality ranks up there as number one but a very close second is the effect that passion has on the passage of time.
Passion: The Good
Passion is a wonderful thing, if you are lucky enough to have found yours, then pat yourself on the back… you have found something that some spend their whole lives without. Passion can be described as things that you do, either for profit or for fun, which you simply cannot do enough of. If you are a musician, then your passion is playing instruments, composing songs and playing your next gig to screaming fans. If you are a gardener, then your passion is planting seeds, mending a garden and sharing the great bounty which you have created. If you are an entrepreneur, then your passion is developing something that has been in your mind and somehow turning it into a profitable enterprise. Passion is a wonderful thing!
Passion: The Bad
The problem with passion, especially if you have quite a few of them is that it becomes an addiction. I have never taken hard drugs but I can assure you that passion can be just as detrimental to relationships, finances and common sense as a cocaine addiction. How? Well, when you focus all your energies into something that gives you so much joy and a sense of accomplishment, things begin to fall apart in other areas of your life. I can honestly say that if there was a way for me to get married to my company and have kids with it, I would do it in a heartbeat… the love I experience for my companies is the same found in deep relationships, the same found in a chef’s eyes when you take a bite out of a food they have prepared and the same found in the eyes of somebody you want to spend the rest of your life with.
Passion: The Ugly
Luckily, or unluckily, depending on your perspective, I have developed a number of passions for myself. When I get worn-out of one, I just jump right into the next passion… and there goes my day! Am I addicted to my companies? Absolutely, I actually have to remind myself to take a break to do such menial tasks as eating, sleeping and exercising. I might be starving and as soon as I begin one of my hobbies, the hunger pains disappear! I am so involved in the cocoon I have created for myself that everything else seems to fade away. The worst part about all this is time, I will begin working at, let’s say 9am then I will take a quick look at the clock and realize it’s 2pm! This happens far more often then I care to admit.
Passion: Perspective is Key!
I am fortunate to be able to pursuit my passions despite the limitations imposed upon me by others and my lifestyle. I am most fortunate that one of my passions is my body… specifically, working out and pushing it beyond it’s limits. This actually works rather well in my case because my other passions involve sitting in-front of a screen and typing, animating, modeling or composing on a computer. I found out a while back that passions themselves aren’t the problem, they should have a life cycle, the problem is when they are in unhealthy endeavors. If you are lucky enough to experience the joy that comes with exercising a passion in your life, always remind yourself that it will be there the next day and the next… you need to take a break (complete one) every once in a while in order to refresh your batteries and enjoy the other experiences that life has to offer.
The Bottom Line
Passion is wonderful, but like other things in life, must be balanced.
