Don't Follow Your Passion!

Chesten_Hesten

Chesten_Hesten

Greatness isn't Stoked by Compliments.
@Steel
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Ha!



Agree, or disagree, (as he put it)?

Discuss.
 
Brought to you by the status quo. We get it, there's a need for trades, and trades aren't sexy...thanks for the hard talk Mike.

Figure out who are as a person, marry your "passion" and interests, and the rest will take care of itself imo.

20 years later, I'm glad I followed my passion. You be you.
 
'I failed in following my passion, so don't follow yours'.

Cool story bro
 
Think of your favorite actors, directors, bands, and artists.... and what if they came across their first bump in the road and said "Fuck it, I'm gonna get a real job."
 
I stopped watching as soon as I saw it was a PraegerU video. I'm not watching that bullshit.
 
I agree with large parts of what he said. Passion can be a great thing, but it can also be blinding. I do think most people should attempt to follow their dreams, whatever they are, at least for a short time, but you need to have the smarts to call something a failure if it doesn't work out.

I do believe that passion, when combined with natural aptitude, leads to success.
 
I used to write short stories and poetry. I even applied and was accepted into an MFA program at Texas State. I had a few of my poems published in the yearly university poetry books. I was a philosophy major but was side tracked because at the time I felt reading and writing poetry could get me closer to the truth.
At the same time I was also interested in religion and applied to the different divinity schools. I was interested in getting my masters degree.

The problem was I had no money. I was working for the maintenance department at my university. I applied to be a bus boy or bar back at a bar. I was determined to go do this. I needed money though. I was fucking starving. I found out the border patrol was hiring, I applied thinking I would get some money saved and go back. 20 years later I'm in the DFW area still in federal law enforcement busting my ass with a wife and 2 children. I still read. I don't write anymore. I'm pretty happy with my life, it's pretty good. I think back how my life would probably be different if I went a different path.
I'm doing pretty good for myself. For example, I recently put my wife through graduate school. I paid for it in cash. I'm not complaining about my life, just that life takes you in a different direction than what you think.
 
Dogstarman said:
I used to write short stories and poetry. I even applied and was accepted into an MFA program at Texas State. I had a few of my poems published in the yearly university poetry books. I was a philosophy major but was side tracked because at the time I felt reading and writing poetry could get me closer to the truth.
At the same time I was also interested in religion and applied to the different divinity schools. I was interested in getting my masters degree.

The problem was I had no money. I was working for the maintenance department at my university. I applied to be a bus boy or bar back at a bar. I was determined to go do this. I needed money though. I was fucking starving. I found out the border patrol was hiring, I applied thinking I would get some money saved and go back. 20 years later I'm in the DFW area still in federal law enforcement busting my ass with a wife and 2 children. I still read. I don't write anymore. I'm pretty happy with my life, it's pretty good. I think back how my life would probably be different if I went a different path.
I'm doing pretty good for myself. For example, I recently put my wife through graduate school. I paid for it in cash. I'm not complaining about my life, just that life takes you in a different direction than what you think.
Click to expand...


Hard to eat philosophy isn't it. I was a philosophy major. Now I make dough doing IT, which is good and bad. For instance having to read technical manuals of horseshit that'll be obsolete in 8 months has ruined my reading of fly ass philosophical shit I'd enjoy reading.
 
Hahahaha, not surprised that his message is falling on deaf ears with the younger kids. It's a hard lesson that we all learn sooner or later.

Passion, talent, ability... all that means squat without a strong work ethic. People think the college degree is the ticket to an easy life. It's the falsehood that's pounded into kids during grade school. I've trained too many college grads who flamed out after a few months because the work I do is hard. Not physically hard, but there's not a school book to walk you through it step by step. Sometimes you have to grind it out and learn lessons the hard way.

I get what he's saying.

And for those of you saying "what if band so and so quit... blah, blah, blah". The entertainment industry is not a good example to use. There's fewer successful actors/actresses/bands than there are professional sports athletes. And there's few enough of them. The one thing they all have in common is an incredible work ethic combined with unique natural talent. All the talent in world doesn't mean jack shit if you can't put in the work. Also, all the work ethic doesn't matter if you run a sub-5.0 40 or sound like a dying goat when you sing. The entertainment and sports world is littered with failures who had "potential".

Face it, the average Joe Blow doesn't have the talents, looks, natural talent, etc to make it in those fields. However, there's still ways to be work in those fields in support positions if those are your interests. They may not pay well, but if you love the field, then go for it.

In the end, it comes down to this. Can you provide a service, whether it's to an employer or directly to a customer if you're self employed, that provides more value than another person or competitor? Do you work harder than the next person? Are your skills in demand? Are you an asset and provide a positive net worth? If they answer is yes, you're going to be successful. Are you floating along for the paycheck? Get your ass ready then when work slows down and lay offs are required.

How you achieve that means/goal is up to you. Hopefully it's field you enjoy and are good at, but those two don't always meet. However, if you're happy at your job while making less money. Great!

I personally know higher executives in my field who makes tons of money. But I see their sacrifices and I decided it wasn't worth it. The long work hours, the excessive traveling, babysitting other PM's like me. I couldn't do it. At one time, I thought that was my end goal, but not anymore. My home and family is too important. Maybe some day when the kids are grown and gone... But not now. I know several guys who never get to see their kids play sports or other school activities. I enjoy taking my kids to school and putting them to bed almost every night.

Mike Rowe is completely correct. For whatever reason, the trades have been pushed into a dirty corner. There's more demand for them than ever. Trust me, I see it everyday. It's shocking to me that there's a complete dearth of qualified people in the instrumentation and controls field here in Houston. Every industry is moving to more controls, not less. But, the same few companies keep getting those contracts over and over, they are busier than everyone else.

Why? Because that field is tough. It's changing all the time, the old design engineers have trouble keeping up with new technology. So the good contractors are in high demand by owners because they know these guys can figure the problems out and make them work, even if the design engineer fucked up the drawings like a soup sandwich. I've seen projects come out where you're only allowed to subcontract to a certain Controls company.

Anyway, apologies for the soapbox. I have a teenager heading to A&M next year. I'm excited for him, but he's still struggling with deciding which way to go. So we've had some fun discussions along these lines. I hope he finds something that he's both good at and makes him happy. Not an easy job by any means.
 
I think his message has a lot of merit, although I think he's full of shit when he goes on about how he wishes he could have been a handyman. Mike definitely has his dream job.

It is very easy to be passionate about the arts. It's mostly meant to entertain the masses; its meant to be most peoples' hobby and a few peoples' profession. So if you make societies mantra "follow your dreams!" then you're going to get way too many people wanting the jobs that we need very few of. So I agree with him that perspective is important, and that the reality is the vast majority of people will not be able to do what they're passionate about for a living; it's an unavoidable fact. By trying to convince everyone that they can follow their dreams if they work hard enough, your basically saying if you end up somewhere else you're a failure (which will happen for most people), making for a lot of unhappy people.

I think it's a good message that a lot of time you'll get just as much satisfaction out of doing something well than just doing what you want. At the end of the day, there are tons of things worth learning about and taking an interest in, and just because something isn't the first thing you were passionate about, doesn't mean it can't be the next thing, if your willing to take an interest in it.
 
It's just like any other gamble in life. People make them all the time in all areas. Trying to do something that makes you happy 40+ hours a week for the rest of your life sounds better than condemning yourself to punching the clock at something that makes you miserable. If you follow this guy's advice, I hope you at least find some hobbies you like and have a happy marriage.
 
Good advice. He brings one very important facet to life. Have to balance interests with reality and opportunity. Blindly following only one and not balancing all of them will lead most people to disappointment.
 
Dogstarman said:
I used to write short stories and poetry. I even applied and was accepted into an MFA program at Texas State. I had a few of my poems published in the yearly university poetry books. I was a philosophy major but was side tracked because at the time I felt reading and writing poetry could get me closer to the truth.
At the same time I was also interested in religion and applied to the different divinity schools. I was interested in getting my masters degree.

The problem was I had no money. I was working for the maintenance department at my university. I applied to be a bus boy or bar back at a bar. I was determined to go do this. I needed money though. I was fucking starving. I found out the border patrol was hiring, I applied thinking I would get some money saved and go back. 20 years later I'm in the DFW area still in federal law enforcement busting my ass with a wife and 2 children. I still read. I don't write anymore. I'm pretty happy with my life, it's pretty good. I think back how my life would probably be different if I went a different path.
I'm doing pretty good for myself. For example, I recently put my wife through graduate school. I paid for it in cash. I'm not complaining about my life, just that life takes you in a different direction than what you think.
Click to expand...
Follow your dreams, but be ready to pivot if necessary.
 
Not everyone can do something they absolutely love and get paid for it. Money and obligation have a way of spoiling things you think you "love", welcome to the reality of doing work. There are pros and cons to everything, I think they key is to find a good enough balance for your lifestyle and what you want to do with your life. Sometimes goals and interests change.
 
Just work fucking hard and be determined as fuck with whatever you decide to do.

Read my signature, that shit is the truth

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential." - Winston Churchill

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” - Calvin Coolidge
 
eric_cartman_beefcake.jpg
 
Don't follow your dreams and become a petroleum engineer instead. Thank me later.

Unless becoming a petroleum engineer is your passion, then you are a fucking genius.
 
Scerpi said:
Hahahaha, not surprised that his message is falling on deaf ears with the younger kids. It's a hard lesson that we all learn sooner or later.

Passion, talent, ability... all that means squat without a strong work ethic. People think the college degree is the ticket to an easy life. It's the falsehood that's pounded into kids during grade school. I've trained too many college grads who flamed out after a few months because the work I do is hard. Not physically hard, but there's not a school book to walk you through it step by step. Sometimes you have to grind it out and learn lessons the hard way.

I get what he's saying.

And for those of you saying "what if band so and so quit... blah, blah, blah". The entertainment industry is not a good example to use. There's fewer successful actors/actresses/bands than there are professional sports athletes. And there's few enough of them. The one thing they all have in common is an incredible work ethic combined with unique natural talent. All the talent in world doesn't mean jack shit if you can't put in the work. Also, all the work ethic doesn't matter if you run a sub-5.0 40 or sound like a dying goat when you sing. The entertainment and sports world is littered with failures who had "potential".

Face it, the average Joe Blow doesn't have the talents, looks, natural talent, etc to make it in those fields. However, there's still ways to be work in those fields in support positions if those are your interests. They may not pay well, but if you love the field, then go for it.

In the end, it comes down to this. Can you provide a service, whether it's to an employer or directly to a customer if you're self employed, that provides more value than another person or competitor? Do you work harder than the next person? Are your skills in demand? Are you an asset and provide a positive net worth? If they answer is yes, you're going to be successful. Are you floating along for the paycheck? Get your ass ready then when work slows down and lay offs are required.

How you achieve that means/goal is up to you. Hopefully it's field you enjoy and are good at, but those two don't always meet. However, if you're happy at your job while making less money. Great!

I personally know higher executives in my field who makes tons of money. But I see their sacrifices and I decided it wasn't worth it. The long work hours, the excessive traveling, babysitting other PM's like me. I couldn't do it. At one time, I thought that was my end goal, but not anymore. My home and family is too important. Maybe some day when the kids are grown and gone... But not now. I know several guys who never get to see their kids play sports or other school activities. I enjoy taking my kids to school and putting them to bed almost every night.

Mike Rowe is completely correct. For whatever reason, the trades have been pushed into a dirty corner. There's more demand for them than ever. Trust me, I see it everyday. It's shocking to me that there's a complete dearth of qualified people in the instrumentation and controls field here in Houston. Every industry is moving to more controls, not less. But, the same few companies keep getting those contracts over and over, they are busier than everyone else.

Why? Because that field is tough. It's changing all the time, the old design engineers have trouble keeping up with new technology. So the good contractors are in high demand by owners because they know these guys can figure the problems out and make them work, even if the design engineer fucked up the drawings like a soup sandwich. I've seen projects come out where you're only allowed to subcontract to a certain Controls company.

Anyway, apologies for the soapbox. I have a teenager heading to A&M next year. I'm excited for him, but he's still struggling with deciding which way to go. So we've had some fun discussions along these lines. I hope he finds something that he's both good at and makes him happy. Not an easy job by any means.
Click to expand...
You're a project manager too?? Yeah, it beats being an exec.

I agree. Sometimes you just know your limitations, or you will drive yourself mad. I could only imagine myself still trying to plug away at the music industry, starving, and not being able to provide for my family like I do now... I would be a wreck.
 
Last edited:
weich said:
I agree with large parts of what he said. Passion can be a great thing, but it can also be blinding. I do think most people should attempt to follow their dreams, whatever they are, at least for a short time, but you need to have the smarts to call something a failure if it doesn't work out.

I do believe that passion, when combined with natural aptitude, leads to success.
Click to expand...

This. Also don't be afraid to work a shitty job while your working on your passion.
 
GearSolidMetal said:
Think of your favorite actors, directors, bands, and artists.... and what if they came across their first bump in the road and said "Fuck it, I'm gonna get a real job."
Click to expand...

Think of all the people that pursued a career as actors, directors, bands and artits, didn't give up an became miserable. That number is a lot bigger than the number of succesful ones. That is what he argues, so statistically, chances are you are nothing special and will fail.

I quit business school 2 months ago to study my passion though, so you can guess what my stance is on this matter.
 
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