Have you ever had that friend that thinks he’s good at everything he tries? One week he’s a songwriter/musician, the next week he’s a screenwriter/film director, and the week after he’s a graphic/fashion designer? If he really were capable of being such a renaissance man, then he’d be an instant success. Researchers would put together case studies dissecting his work ethic and creative drive. Women would be fighting to get impregnated by him to pass on his superior genes for the greater good of humankind. But in all reality, he’s just a flighty mediocre soul; a jack of all trades and master of none.
So this situation poses the question: at what point does amateur hobby become viable career choice? If we’re supposed to pursue what we’re passionate about in life, chase what makes us happy, then shouldn’t those pursuits be our career choices?
Yes and no. It’s truly a matter of your ability. If you’re good, go for it. If you’re not, it’s better to stop while you’re still ahead.
We’re at an odd place in history where motivated self-starters can pretty much accomplish anything if they’ve got the talent and drive to back them up. Comedians can become ridiculously famous on YouTube. Independent musicians can get signed to major labels because of their MySpace music page. Writers can blog and self-publish themselves to mainstream success. I don’t know if it’s because of my proximity to Los Angeles, where everyone is an aspiring something-or-another, but the far-fetched notion of thinking your typical ‘hobby horse’ can lead to ‘career choice’ in the blink of an eye isn’t so far-fetched.
So what’s a healthy attitude to take? A dentist doesn’t first practice dentistry on the side by extracting molars from cats with toothaches. A neurosurgeon doesn’t get his first taste of neurosurgery operating on epileptic birds for fun. That would be animal cruelty and PETA would have their balls in a vice grip if they tried. Be real with yourself. If you think you’ve got what it takes to make a career out of whatever hobby horse you’ve been pursuing, then put yourself out there for criticism and go through the necessary training to hone your craft. Sometimes what you are doing to those around you constitutes animal cruelty and you don’t even know it!
I don’t mean that you should quit pursuing your passion just because of a little criticism. Not everyone is going to love you even if you are good. Check out the predicament rapper/producer Kanye West is in right now. He’s clawed his way to the top of the music game, he’s become an international trendsetter and fashion icon and yet he’s probably one of the most universally hated men in the entertainment business. Go figure.
What I am advocating is a healthy approach to your pursuit. It is completely okay to just like to do things on the side. You could very well be good enough to scrape by a meager existence chasing your dreams, but that doesn’t mean that’s the right thing to do. You could just as easily find a comfortable and bearable job, make good money and continue the pursuit of your dreams on the side. Personally, this blog in and of itself is a little try at grabbing a piece of the pie. So here goes nothing!
So what are some of your dreams and how are you actively pursuing them?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
this is a very interesting topic that i have been thinking about recently. something i realized is that for me, practically, i need to separate my hobbies from my career because there is nothing im THAT good at…enough to get paid for. like my awesome singing skills. i mean i know im great, but for some reason i get mean comments on youtube. =*(
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Personally, I think my band’s going to make it.
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ginger Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
i beg to differ.
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Very Nice. We need more talks/coaching in this area. It seems to be a very polarized debate with one side either going for the “you either have it don’t” and the other saying “you can be and do anything and that’s that.” Generally, I think it takes empirical discovery to carve our true passion out of an ore of hobbies and I think when we hone in on that we can take that to the stars..but that’s just me.
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this is where those who are around us that are honest with us, or voices of professionals that we can connect with, will really benefit us in constructive criticism… as our gifts/talents all have that rawness before refining. Other than those very few rare geniuses, most people start off primitive, then improve with practice or time. I hope to increase in music/leading worship, but the interesting part is God’s leading me in another direction towards things that is needed in life and community as well. So all that is actively happening is small steps towards thinking and messing around with a few ideas. Wish there was more drive to make things happen. Maybe it’ll remain a hobby. =.=
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