Your Passion Needs No End
What’s the mission? What’s your end-goal? When will you see success in what you do? What’s your plan for the future of so and so? These are the typical questions that we ask each other in order to find out the “end” of whatever it is that we are doing in our lives. Our projects, passions, ideas, what have you.
But why does there have to be an end? And end result for everything. Why can’t it just “be”? Why can’t there be success at every level?
People often ask me: “What’s your plan for Mind Petals? What’s the future of Mind Petals? Where are you going with Mind Petals? When will you find success in what you do?”
But these questions have no real answers, you see. At least no adequate answers. There is no past of Mind Petals just as there is no future of Mind Petals. Mind Petals is now. Here. This very moment. There are no levels (this isn’t a video game) of success and end-goals.
You reading my very words right now is the answer in its entirety. Your mind swirling around and neurons firing right now is the answer. As your mind currently evolves or devolves right now is the answer.
We’re so gung-ho about placing an end on everything. And this is ever-strengthening due to the ubiquitous business mentality that we guard and protect. The “pay-me-for-my-passion” mentality. The business plans. The projections. The timelines. The “X” that we have to meet in order to achieve success.
They’re all illusions. Ghosts. Clouds obscuring reality. Think about it: everyone is always telling you to follow your passions in life. “Get out there and follow your passions no matter what! Just do it! Now!”
And why? Why are we supposed to follow our passions? Simple. Because our passions are supposed to be the things that bring us the most joy in life. The things that we’re super-enthusiastic about. Right?
Oh, no, but that’s not enough. We want MORE. Give me. Give me. Give me. Mere happiness from our passions isn’t enough. So what do we do? We put “ends” on our passions.
Take, for instance, the young girl who has a passion to write. Writing brings her endless joy. She writes simply for the love of writing. It’s her heart. Her world. Her everything. And as this girl grew up she learned that joy was no longer enough. Her mom said: “Dear, happiness and joy aren’t going to pay the bills. So wake-up!”
Society taught this girl that she had to strive for more than happiness in life. And such an ideology forced her to reevaluate her passions — what made her happy. Forced to adjust her passions to suit a society that demanded more. And that adjustment came in the form of an “end.” An end-goal.
So the young girl who was once as happy as could be just to write simply for the joy of it, has become the woman who needs to sell 10,000 books in order to be happy. Who needs to become a best selling author in order to be happy. She’s totally numb to the experience of enjoying something without any ends to it. That “end” is now her cocaine. Her fix. Her “give it to me.” Her passion has now become and ends to a means of finding happiness again. You see, the model of happiness totally inverted.
Her passion is now a job. Constantly at work trying to produce happiness. And where is she when all this is going on? She is now the slave to her passion. Instead of her passion being something that naturally produces joy in her life, it has become sort of a train that’s dragging her around and around. And it’s now her job to pump it up with fuel so it can keep on trying to reach that end.
That mansion! That million bucks! That fancy car! Chooo!!!! Chooo!!!! That image of perfection! The glory! The Success! Choo!!!! Choooo!!!! Chooo!!!! The top of the charts! The front page of the paper! The fame! Chhoooo!!!! ChoooO!!!!
Forget joy and happiness, because with all these things who needs it, right? The party is never over, right?
Do you see the illusion? You see the gap between the time when she was “naturally” happy to the time when happiness had to be attained? She thought that she was walking on water. On top of the world! But wait… something just wasn’t right. Something was missing? All the glory wasn’t sustaining her.
That something was her baby. Her passion when it was pure. When it was a seed effortlessly growing towards the sun before she was forced to pump it with steroids and fertilizer to make it grow as fast as possible — to push and push it towards that end. That success point.
But you see, she missed the point altogether. Because the success was the very seed itself. Success never had to be attained. It just was. Just being. Just growing on its own with ease. No striving. No forcing. No setting endless goals. Just right there in front of her. Being.
That is to say, your passion needs no end. No plans. No projections. No explanations. (save those silly things for your job). Your passion just “is.” Because if it isn’t, then its working. And you’re working for it.
7 Comments
Korey Pace
December 21st, 2007 at 1:36 am
I must say this underlying theme of anarchism in your recent posts have been a turning me away from Mind Petals. Simply put I believe that passion creates value and value creates meaning and meaning creates money. From what I interpret from this particular post is that since this girl has taken a job at the New York Times or some writing job to keep the lights on instead of merely writing in her diary then she has thrown away all that is good in life it self, which is rather silly to me. I also feel like you said that goals aren’t good because they are an “end” result which I don’t agree with either. Just like your speech on evolving ideas (which I enjoyed!)goals evolve the same way so there really isn’t an end result in my eyes. People are rarely satisfied which is a good thing if applied to the right aspects. Like steve jobs said “stay hunger, stay foolish”. Goals are the driving force towards achievement and success and when applied with passion it makes the goals more enjoyable to reach.
Edward
December 21st, 2007 at 3:07 am
Most people in our society now see everything with a goal in mind. They see everything as a mean to an end. sometimes they forget that it’s not all about the goal. It’s about the journey, the adventure, the friends you made. Sometimes we get so focused on the goal (which isn’t bad) that we forget what fueled us to it, which is the passion and the spirit.
Eric Patrick Marr
December 21st, 2007 at 11:07 am
David, you’re a brilliant mind. The ability to see the timelessness of perfection is indeed the secret of life. Life is. Life always has been and always will be. Life isn’t coming one day, it’s always been here.
Wow. I wasn’t aware minds like yours were out there. Someone who can see the invisible, which helps all the rest of us see it too!
Nice!
Thank you for being you,
Eric Patrick Marr
David Askaripour
December 21st, 2007 at 11:33 am
Korey, thanks for commenting. Anytime someone has a response to my art, it’s much appreciated. Mind Petals is a place where people share ideas. The above essay is comprised of my ideas just as a painting is comprised of the ideas of the painter. Now, when you look at the painting the artist isn’t forcing you into anything — to think a certain way or do a certain thing; it’s just the painting for you to look at. You may like it. You may hate it. You may be inspired. You may not. Or you may have to stare at it for a while and think about it. In the same spirit, I paint my ideas for the the world.
I’m not anti-government nor am I anti-corporate America. I’m pro pure passion. There is nothing wrong with making a lot of money and having a lot of material objects — nothing wrong with that at all.
My theme is this: People unknowingly forget about their passions and the joy that they once experienced from them when they are forced to make certain decisions in life that lead to the compromising of the passions for things that they really do care less about. And, in time, they come to the alarming conclusion that these certain things really weren’t that important after all and that their passions were used as tools to force something out of nothing.
Hey Edward: Yes, it’s all about the journey. All the way!
Hey Eric: Thank you very much. I paint what I see in an effort to share my experiences with the world. “Life is always here” — I love that. That’s so true.
Sharat Thakur
December 21st, 2007 at 11:56 am
David, beautiful article. Just beautiful. I have been following every article of MindPetals since its inception, though did not reply to posts that often. I have seen the way David’s article have evolved over a period of time. He has gone through a tremendous change( for the good ), and it is reflected in his articles.
Korey, I suppose you should look at this article from David’s perspective. We tend to be so much engrossed in pursuit of achieving the end, that we forget the enjoy the wholes process. Its not only about our passions and goals. There are so many things much beyond that. There is something called as contentment. Following our passions is intended to satisfy our innermost urge. But, because of our goal oriented tendendencies, we somehow get lost in the process, and forget about enjoying it.
You are right, David - its all about the journey. Sorry, for not responding that frequently to your posts, but believe me I go through every words written by you, and try to relate things with me - every article of yours has brought a new perspective, and answered some of my unsolved questions.
Cheers to you! Keep going.
lawrence
December 21st, 2007 at 6:16 pm
doing things for the love of it - is called being a kid.
but as you mature, you have responsbilities, and you have to make sure your passion brings in a dolla, dolla bill at the end of the day..in some way shape or form.
that doesn’t mean you’re a ’sellout’ for trying to make that connection
David Askaripour
December 22nd, 2007 at 12:38 am
Hey Sharat, thank you so much for your words. Greatly appreciated. And thanks for being an avid reader / supported of Mind Petals. You are exactly correct, I did undergo a transformation (still am) and it has lead me to many realizations about myself, the world, the “right here and now.” An evolution, indeed. No worries, Sharat. Comments or no comments, your energy is a part of Mind Petals and that all that is needed.
Lawrence: Absolutely, that’s what kids do. We should all try to find our inner childhood. Because the child’s mind is one of great curiosity and openness to everything. Making money isn’t selling out; making money at the expense of your passion may be, though… Thanks for your comment.
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