Is my passion my calling?

We would certainly like to believe that what we are most interested in is what we're meant to pursue for a living. If only we were more efficient, hard-working and productive, we could make realities of these dreams. Yet, to our astonishment, we find that there are far more garbage men than there are professional musicians. Perhaps we might explain this away as a lack of hard work. I'd certainly like to see a professional pianist wake as early or sweat as profusely as any given garbage man. Likewise, it may be considered that our hypothetical pianist simply has different interests. To this, I would suggest that very few waste workers will stroke their refuse as tenderly as the deft hand across the notes of Moonlight Sonata. Rather, they will be just as rough and repulsed as anyone else.

Of course, we know that hard work and interest are just as important as talent. Both are required. So, we should be asking if our passions and interests match our talents. Oftentimes, they do not. Instead, I propose that our interests speak to a need rather than a calling. Place a starving man in a library and he will inevitably study the culinary books. Place this same man in a kitchen and he'll head straight for the bread and butter. His initial fascination was no more than a hunting instinct. He found the closest substitute to meet his needs. This may have led him to the fantasy that he is a chef. However, the moment his needs are met, he falls at the first hurdle.

We've all met people like this. The lazy man who regales us with plans of action, the lonely spinster and her endless supply of fashion tips. These issues are almost stereotypical in their frequency. Invariably, it is a kind of pride that drives said interest and, behind that pride, fear. We all have needs. To meet those needs we must seemingly compete with others. Hence, we find ourselves tempted by a kind of pseudo-expertise. How can a lazy man be unsuccessful when he is the only one discussing how to make and spend his millions? How can a spinster be lonely with such an enviable shoe collection? These follies, although perhaps a waste of time, are not without their place. They assuage our fears with optimism and calm our insecurities with confidence. Our expertise helps us become more capable of exploiting what few opportunities we are offered.

Issues arise when careers are sought in such fields though. When expertise becomes ambition, the delusion of capability is then demanded of others too. We ask how we are unsuccessful despite our vast knowledge. The world begins to look incredibly unfair when, having spent so much time watching tutorials and listening to experts, we remain so obscure. This is the sunk cost fallacy. There is a feeling that, after spending so much time on something, it would be foolish to turn back now. When such a pattern of thinking emerges, it is prudent to stop asking what is desired and instead ask why. There is no lack of pain and need that drives these ambitions. When said needs are identified, they will become far easier to meet. We will be relieved to the degree that we suffer. If these needs are met and the road of trials still looks interesting, good for you. You have found your calling.

As for those people who lose interest, they too are to be rewarded. It takes a lot of grit to go so long without something. It takes sacrifice and determination. These things are like muscles. They strengthen with exercise. So, when resentment settles in, it's time to start thinking more about the reward at the end and less about the means of getting there. A true calling will be met all the more quickly when this newfound strength is put to use in conjunction with real talent. More often than not, the success that follows is more than enough to satisfy the hunger that fuelled a wild goose chase.

Takeaways:

• Success is often the result of hard work and talent

• Passion, fascination and interest frequently point to unmet needs

• Research helps us exploit opportunities that may be rarer for us and provides confidence

• Expertise does not provide a solid basis for consistent success

• Meeting a deeper need without a substitute will reveal our real passion

• Turning back from passion can make us aware of newfound strength