Why “follow your passion” has become a capitalist’s ideal
“I don’t get it, James,” Mariet Venter, my best friend, said “, where does this sudden interest in lifeguarding come from?”
Stunned I looked at her, partly because all I wanted was her to support me.
But, partly because I also didn’t know where my interest came from. All I knew is that I am excited about it and therefore want to try it.
A few weeks later, asked at a party about my lifeguarding endeavours, I’d share how lifeguarding is the one thing I do simply for the joy of it. “There’s no end goal and no overarching dream: it simply makes me happy.”
Because, I told them, most of the compartments of my life exist with an agenda: I work to pay the bills, I work hard because I want a promotion, I go to CrossFit because I need exercise, and I eat with friends because I need their company for survival.
I’ve preconditioned my life to ensure that every hour serves a purpose, and felt it notable to share that now — for the first time in a long time — I am doing something simply because I want to.
In a recent blog post, acclaimed author and podcast host Srinivas Rao, wrote how our generation has become obsessed with becoming famous.
When we create, he wrote, we create for the thousands — not for the one.
Read Rao’s ‘ How to Build an Audience of 1000 True Fans in a Noisy World’ here.
And when we find something we enjoy, we feel overwhelmed to turn it from a hobby into a career: when you write, you need to become an author; when you like podcasting, you need thousands of listeners; art, but art that has to be sold.
Follow your passion has become synonymous with this era’s capitalist addiction: no longer a liberation cry to follow your happiness, but a burden to make a profit from your talents.
Why do so many creatives end up disappointed, Rao asks. Because, we create with the intention of fame — not because it satisfies our soul.
When I read Rao’s words I was overwhelmed with the relief of someone describing what I feel.
Because, I’ve given up writing, podcasting and vlogging countless times simply because it didn’t get the reaction I felt it deserved.
My expectation that it would be a launchpad into another successful career always unmet.
Katy Perry — arguably the world’s most successful pop artist — recently said she suffered from depression after her latest album achieved commercial success.
My mother similarly said she felt depressed when the results don’t show after she started a new exercise routine.
And I — a journalist at Business Insider South Africa and frequent blogger — created and always felt empty afterwards.
Because we don’t do simply because we want to, we do with the expectation of results.
But — and this is the important part — we can choose how we measure success. Success either in the number of copies sold, or success in producing something authentic — or simply showing up, trying.
We should retrain our minds to live not for critical acclaim, but for authentic expression. Like a girl running to her father to show the finger painting she just made, we should learn to create for the one(s) who matter.
Quiet the voices and anxiety, and relearn to love your passions. Ask yourself: when last have you done something simply for the joy of creation?
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