Tell me about yourself.

[resonant]

I'm suddenly struck with the desire to know how other people do the things that matter most to them, how they find and follow their passions.

How do you decide where your heart is? How do you carve out time and energy to pursue it?

Are you on a new road or one you've been following for a long time? What have you learned that could help others? What false starts have you made, what poor judgments? What have you compromised, and what do those compromises look like to you now?

Comments

[tevere.livejournal.com]

I have to say I've had a great run in life so far: comfortable but not extravagant middle-class childhood, scholarship to excellent high school and university, a wonderful supportive partner of some seven years and counting, good health, opportunities to travel, well-paid job.

One thing I have learnt, though, is that it's surprisingly easy to get distracted from what your direction or passion actually is. And usually that distraction's tied up in other people's expectations, or what you think you should be doing -- as opposed to what you actually want to do. I've made that mistake twice now, but I think the lesson's starting to sink in *g*. First time was when I studied engineering, because that's a "real degree" (as opposed to an arts degree); second time was when I applied for (and was offered, and accepted) an absolutely mind-bogglingly cool job, despite knowing that every single criteria for the job was the opposite of my 'natural' personality. I guess I just wanted it because it was so damn elite, and I just wanted to succeed in it because everyone had (rightly) told me that I was patently unsuited. And so here I am... paddling along in a job I personally don't love, though some would kill to have it, and all just to prove a point to people who aren't me. Foolish, hey?

On the other hand, the job pays well -- well enough that after my indentured period of service I'll have enough for The Boy and I to take two full years off to do whatever we bloody well want without fear of failure. (In my case, to write something -- anything!) It's a fair trade *g*.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

it's surprisingly easy to get distracted from what your direction or passion actually is. And usually that distraction's tied up in other people's expectations

Yep, yep. This is me going to journalism school because it's practical.

I also think that people tend to overestimate the cost (in time, money, life disruption, etc.) of changing their lives, or to think that there's only one way to do it.

It helps, actually, to get older; I have twenty years of career behind me and now I know I've got time. If I'd wanted to do something at 22, and you'd told me, "Well, you can do it but it will take seven years," I would have thrown up my hands and said, "Then what's the point? I'll just go on doing what I'm doing."