Should I Choose Passion or Duty?

When it comes to deciding what to do with our lives, we are frequently presented with what looks like a very painful choice: the passionate path vs the safe path, but which is best for us in the long term?

FURTHER READING

“When it comes to deciding what to do with our lives, we are frequently presented with what looks like a very painful choice: the passionate path vs the safe path. The latter involves the slow mastery of a dependable profession; we will be bored — but we know we’ll never be fired. Meanwhile, the former is a high-wire act in which we fantasise generating an income from what we deeply love and yet we constantly fear penury and humiliation...”

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CREDITS

Produced in collaboration with:

Elaine Song

Title animation produced in collaboration with

Vale Productions

[wayner]

I tried following my passion and was broke and stressed then switched to a steady job and have only benefitted from it. A stable job and extra income to pursue hobbies and support my family has been nothing but a blessing.

[letrongdu]

It sounds simpler in theory but in real life it is much more complicated than that. I don't disgust my job I just think it is quite boring and I am afraid that the moment I quit and pursue my passion I will get bored again and start to question what my passion really is. And the risk is more dangerous in a third world country where retraining is rare and it's hard to find a job pays you enough to make ends meet

[benjaminholt]

The problem is, the moment you seriously pursue your passion it becomes your duty. So the question is Should I Choose Duty or Duty? I am a musician, I love music but 99% of days I don't feel like practicing but I must. Duty is inescapable.

[waart]

This is the back draw of poverty really. Those of us from poor families really can't help but influence ourselves into thinking life ends where obedience ends. we have to take the "safe path".
Great video.🔥

[ReynaSingh]

Have you really chosen safety if you spend everyday unhappy? Passion and duty are not a dichotomy, there is no way to escape duty. It’s just a matter of whose definition you’re using

[khialaaloocompany]

People often conflate hobbies with passion. Don’t turn a hobby into a job or it won’t be a hobby anymore.

[LatrineDerriere]

I really relate with this, however, when you have financially dependent children the decision becomes that much harder.

[ohayo-]

Questions like this one make me think whether I should choose attending to a PhD program or go straight to learning everything about opening bakeries

[benjaminholt]

I chose passion and 15 years in it is still a grind just to make ends meet. As I get older I see folks who took an easier path can afford things I cannot. It stings sometimes.

[Slydime]

I think it depends on what your passion is. Something like programming will give you an easy path to success if you're passionate about it and even if you're not the best, it doesn't matter, because jobs are more available still, compared to something like art.

Something like art will make you hate your passion, because you're forced to create something original constantly, which is not always the best way to do it. It also might not pay well, even if you succeed.

IMO if your passion is a safe profession, then of course take it. If your passion has an unclear path, like art, then take the safe job and do art on the side as much as possible, build your portfolio, then try something with it. Doing otherwise would be foolish for the sake of "passion".

What good is your passion if you're on the streets?

[creepingjesus]

I can't disagree: I consciously sidelined my passion to follow duty, and it didn't end well; but the note of caution I will add - and this is my slight disagreement - is that the notion of being good enough at your job not to be dismissed at some point, is a dangerous falsehood. I've learned that the hard way.

[charthers]

The comforting answer is do what you love, if your parents have money and are supportive, you’re probably doing that.. Other people may not be as fortunate and have to “choose” the hard, boring life..

[DonaldAMisc]

I'll leave this quote from Jim Carrey: "You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love."

[sebastianelytron]

This is a very one dimensional approach to this complex topic. This video focuses only on money and job security, but there are many other factors that come into play when having to choose between passion and duty.

[thomasbrian]

The difference between a Rich person and a Poor person is how they use their time. Your Future is created by what you do Today not your Tomorrow.

[trinaq]

Thanks for the video. It may be hard for us to choose between pursuing our dreams, but there's no guarantee if we'll succeed or make any money, or staying in a stable job where you feel stifled.

[ardidsonriente]

While I agree with the general approeach, the truth must inlcude another factor: opportunity. Most of us don't chose between a "safe" path and a "passion" one. Most of us take wathever is enough at the moment, just to survive. Often, without the basic tools to really measure what we are doing, almost always, without any chance to look the future posibilities, almost never with the resources, experience or support to endure failure.

True choice is scarce. Only the rich, the very prepared or the very lucky can truly decide. For the rest, the path chosen is not the "safe" one. Is just the "less dangerous, right now".

[JanTuts]

Don't forget to regularly re-evaluate your situation and goals, and also look at things the other way around:
Working for years on pure passion can lead to serious burnout, which is especially bad when you've just poured all your time and energy into something that didn't actually have enough financial return to sustain a comfortable life.
At that point, choosing the safe path isn't cowardice, but self-preservation, and staying on the passionate path would be the masochism.

[thechancellor-]

To the *incredible person* that's seeing this, I wish you all the best in life❤ don't over blame yourself, accept things and go forward. Don't let others define what “success” is for you. Get up, learn the skills needed and get after it, all the keys to a happy life is in your hands. Keep pushing.

[vickielewallen]

We all have duties, but *balancing* them with some time out for our passions or favorite hobbies makes life bearable. We go back to our duties, obligations with more energy and/or acceptance.