A Little Bit of Passion Goes A Long Way
As human beings, we have become accustomed to living in a world of absolutist demands and absurd obligations. We bring enormous pressure upon ourselves and at the end of each day we are full of tension and anxiety.
The society that we live in tells us that we should or must do certain things, have such and such job, or be a certain way, especially if we want to be someone of value, and it is forced upon us like an absolutist dogma.
If we decide to buy into this utterly unnatural, absurd, and unreal dogma, we will constantly feel pressured because we are then telling ourselves, “I have to be attractive ! I have to be a renowned professional! I have to perfectly educate my children ! I have to paint the perfect painting!” etc…
Curiously, when we let ourselves be carried about by obligation, we create develop something psychologists refer to as mental blocks. That is to say, from pressuring myself so much and lending so much importance to the action that I have to carry out, as if my life depended upon it, I fail in the end or it does not turn out as well as it could, or maybe I am not even able to finish it because I am afraid of failure.
When projects or plans are finished with anxiety and tension, the end result is often mediocre. This, in turn, causes us to feel badly about ourselves, making us once again demand “that I should have done better!”
The key to breaking out of this vicious circle is starting to notice that you and only you place these obligations upon yourself. It is true that our culture, unfortunately, sends us certain superficial messages about how we have to be or how we should act, but in the end, it is you who decides if you will cling to these ideals or not.
It is shown that those who undertake a project, personal or professional, without being forced, only for enjoyment, and putting passion into it, go much further than those who are constantly pressured.
A passionate person works and puts in effort, of course, but he does it with love because he wants to enjoy what he is doing, that is his goal. If things turn out well, all the better, but if they do not turn out well at all or if they completely fail, he knows that it is not the end of the world.
Failure provides lessons and a passport towards success. And even if after many failures you were never to obtain any interesting goal, it still would not be the end of the world, for life offers thousands of interesting alternatives where we can develop, but always by enjoying ourselves!
It is so important to understand that inside ourselves, there is a child who wants to have a great time in life and with the rest of the world.
At the end of the day, the most important goal for human beings is to be happy, and to be happy, we must take the weights and stones out of our backpacks, get rid of those “I should…” “I have to…” because nobody should or has to do anything.
When we are freed from these mental chains that we have decided to tie ourselves down with, we discover that living and being happy is the easiest thing in the world. We set out to do what we want to do, without fear of anything. Without fear of society’s opinion or approbation, without fear of failure…simply having a great time and doing what we have to do because we want to do it, nothing more, nothing less.
Suddenly, you notice that your inner child is laughing at everything and with everything because in every situation, there is something to laugh at and play with. Life is exactly that, a game, and playing means fun, satisfaction, loving life just the way it is, without demanding, without imposing.
Look at yourself… do you have arms? Legs? A healthy head to think with? Food and water? And even more things? If you have all of that and more, you are lucky. You already have everything to let yourself be guided by the powers of pleasure and to do whatever it is that you like to do in a laid back way.
Do things because you want to do them, because you look forward to them, because you are passionate about them, and not to get something in exchange except your own well being.
Leave your office job if what you are passionate about is sculpting! Or at least try to open a new path with what you like! Leave that partner who you know is doing you harm! There is nothing to fear and what you will obtain will be more gratifying than anything else you could ever get: your own happiness .
Therefore, consider this new mantra: “Starting now, I will allow myself to be swept away by the power of my passion and I will set aside the power of obligation, because a little bit of passion goes a long way.”