You are not alone. I have been there challenging the same thought and this is what I wrote to myself, “Not every job has to be linked with meaning, and not every step has to be bounded by dreams. You can work just to live. Because of work, you can support yourself and not depend on others; Because of work, you can raise children and fulfil your responsibility; Because of work, you can write to connect with others and pursue your dreams. When you choose to write, you have to work, there is no such thing as happy or sad, and it doesn’t matter whether you want to do it or not. It’s just that you have no choice but to work.”
Thanks for sharing this, Winston. It is exactly this connection that you talk about that gives me the energy to keep writing every week.
Words of authors like you make me feel connected to a bigger whole, with people that share similar challenges and aspirations. Finding new comments every time I post is such a heart warming feeling that justifies the effort needed to keep consistency.
So, apparently I have no choice but to work! I will then apply myself to find what fulfills me the most, or gives me the freedom to continue pursuing my passions.
It’s good to recognize that you can always choose to return to a previous career if your current path doesn’t work out. That can take the pressure off to succeed immediately.
At the same time, I have come to believe (probably because I’ve been laid off twice and the news is full of stories about people with years of experience and good performance reviews losing their jobs unexpectedly) that there’s no such thing as a secure job or guaranteed income.
No one can predict or control every aspect of their careers. So I’ve decided to pursue what I truly want to do and am passionate about, even though it seems much more risky than a traditional job with steady paychecks and other benefits.
The reality is that every choice we make comes with risks. So does life itself, so we might as well spend it doing what brings us joy even if it doesn’t seem like a wise move.
And you're right: knowing we can go back relieves a lot of pressure. And reminds us that giving up is not necessarily a failure, but rather a decision which comes in the light of new information and priorities.
At the same time, joy is often found mixed with other, less positive, characteristics.
I am still on my way to finding where true joy is, while accepting the less pleasurable parts. Which are often related to the way activities are approached, and not necessarily to their intrinsic nature.
I think finding something you are passionate about is hard and it may also keep changing at different stages of one’s life. So, it is important to enjoy what we are doing, and there’s so much happiness in the journey of the process of where want to be rather than being where we want to be.
We may just be in our destination for like 10% of the time, and then we try to think of our next immediate bigger goals to achieve. This is precisely why 90% of the time spent on the journey should be with mindfulness and little joys / wins.
Your story and journey is inspiring Winston! Keep writing!!
Livio, The freedom to choose is big. I am glad you have that experience. Each choice carries with it the fact that you will not experience the other option. You can go back, and you will not know what going forward will hold. You can go forward, and you will not see how the old changes -and it will. Follow your heart, my friend. Breathe deep - choose - see what happens. D
You are not alone. I have been there challenging the same thought and this is what I wrote to myself, “Not every job has to be linked with meaning, and not every step has to be bounded by dreams. You can work just to live. Because of work, you can support yourself and not depend on others; Because of work, you can raise children and fulfil your responsibility; Because of work, you can write to connect with others and pursue your dreams. When you choose to write, you have to work, there is no such thing as happy or sad, and it doesn’t matter whether you want to do it or not. It’s just that you have no choice but to work.”
Thanks for sharing this, Winston. It is exactly this connection that you talk about that gives me the energy to keep writing every week.
Words of authors like you make me feel connected to a bigger whole, with people that share similar challenges and aspirations. Finding new comments every time I post is such a heart warming feeling that justifies the effort needed to keep consistency.
So, apparently I have no choice but to work! I will then apply myself to find what fulfills me the most, or gives me the freedom to continue pursuing my passions.
"The way out is through"!
Freedom is hard fought, but often found, ‘on the rails.’ ✌️
Yeah! Even if I must admit I have not managed to find it there yet ;)
It’s good to recognize that you can always choose to return to a previous career if your current path doesn’t work out. That can take the pressure off to succeed immediately.
At the same time, I have come to believe (probably because I’ve been laid off twice and the news is full of stories about people with years of experience and good performance reviews losing their jobs unexpectedly) that there’s no such thing as a secure job or guaranteed income.
No one can predict or control every aspect of their careers. So I’ve decided to pursue what I truly want to do and am passionate about, even though it seems much more risky than a traditional job with steady paychecks and other benefits.
The reality is that every choice we make comes with risks. So does life itself, so we might as well spend it doing what brings us joy even if it doesn’t seem like a wise move.
And you're right: knowing we can go back relieves a lot of pressure. And reminds us that giving up is not necessarily a failure, but rather a decision which comes in the light of new information and priorities.
Following joy seems like a good principle.
At the same time, joy is often found mixed with other, less positive, characteristics.
I am still on my way to finding where true joy is, while accepting the less pleasurable parts. Which are often related to the way activities are approached, and not necessarily to their intrinsic nature.
Surely, writing is one of those holy places ;)
I think finding something you are passionate about is hard and it may also keep changing at different stages of one’s life. So, it is important to enjoy what we are doing, and there’s so much happiness in the journey of the process of where want to be rather than being where we want to be.
We may just be in our destination for like 10% of the time, and then we try to think of our next immediate bigger goals to achieve. This is precisely why 90% of the time spent on the journey should be with mindfulness and little joys / wins.
Your story and journey is inspiring Winston! Keep writing!!
Let's live the 90% fully, then! Or, else, give up and stick to what we have ;)
Livio, The freedom to choose is big. I am glad you have that experience. Each choice carries with it the fact that you will not experience the other option. You can go back, and you will not know what going forward will hold. You can go forward, and you will not see how the old changes -and it will. Follow your heart, my friend. Breathe deep - choose - see what happens. D
Breathe in, breathe out. As you have taught me, Dave!
Excellent, Livio.
Thanks, Mike.
May the courage be with us in this tortuous journey!
And let's keep reminding each other of the lessons we forget.
"I must keep reminding myself of this".
https://livmkk.substack.com/p/i-must-keep-reminding-myself-of-this