All of us must have had some crazy dreams during childhood, and then suddenly we grew up and got trapped in the fast-paced roller-coaster ride of our lives. Every action was reinforced by motivation to achieve certain grades or degrees. And eventually came our responsibilities towards our families. Amidst all this and the chaos of life, we gave up those fantastic dreams of ours.
There is no doubt that the real purpose of every human being is not to gather material symbols of achievement but to satisfy her soul. But all we do is strive to fit into the schemas of perfect subjects, hobbies or occupations created by society by killing our own desires. We see ourselves as manifestations of society but we don’t see that the society, whether its rigid or not is our own reflection.
The world begins with us. It comprises of our actions, thoughts and desires. That is whatever makes it is our actions and the thought attached to it. If our thoughts aren’t congruent with our actions then we cannot enjoy what we are doing and we usually don’t up being fruitful to ourselves and the society.
A very common issue in India, for instance is that many students are often forced to take up science as it is THE subject which could promise them a profession which is more stable and meaningful than what Humanities would offer(a misconception).
It is not just a matter of academic choice but also about choosing ones interests in other areas such as dance, music, art etc. It is always that some things are thought of as being lower in heirarchy of occupation than others.
At some point of time in life we all regret not doing what we wanted to. This happens especially when we encounter failures in life. Some of us often try to impose our ambitions onto the coming generation again creating a chain of social expections. Life becomes monotonous and unproductive for those who don’t love what they do.
It is thus very crucial to indulge in our interests that we desire. Doing something we love instills positivity in us. Even if failure comes our way, there is always motivation to improve and overcome. It also relatively easy to be proficient and professional in ones own area of interest. A motivated individual is always satisfied and is also fruitful and productive for the society. It makes her or him come alive and the world needs people who have come alive.
However, times are changing and the needs of individuals are better understood now than they were earlier but it is one reminder one must always be reminded of.
It would be perfect to end it with a positive note by Steve Jobs: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it, keep looking. Don’t settle.”