Are Passions Serendipitously Discovered or Painstakingly Constructed?

[Daniel E.]

Are Passions Serendipitously Discovered or Painstakingly Constructed?
by Cal Newport, PhD, Study Hacks blog
November 24, 2009

Problems with Passion
My friend Scott Young recently published a blog post with an intriguing title: “What if you have more than one passion?” He reports that several readers admitted that they have “a hard time focusing” because they have “too many passions.”

My readers report their own problems with passion. Here are some excerpts from recent e-mails:

• “I’m currently feeling great antipathy for physics…I’ve found myself questioning my passion for the subject. “
• “My only true passion is biology, but it’s a damn big field in which I have no focus other than my general spiritual love for green things.”
• “Yes, this particular major isn’t my passion. However, my studies are funded by my disciplinarian father…”

My point here is that “passion” seems to be a common source of problems. For some, they have too many passions and don’t know where to focus their energies. For others, it’s the lack of a passion, or maybe a belief that their particular passion won’t bring them somewhere worth going.

In this short post, I want to share a new way of looking at this troublesome concept…

What is Passion
Common to most peoples’ thoughts about passion are the following three foundational beliefs:

1. To feel passionate about something is to be engaged and fulfilled by working on it, and to feel a desire to return to it whenever possible.
2. In the course of your regular life you will develop passions for various pursuits.
3. You will live a much happier life if you can align your studies as a student or career as a graduate with one of your passions.

Here’s the hypothesis I’ve been developing recently: (1) and (3) are true, but (2) is false. And it’s this common misperception that allows “passion” to wreak so much havoc.

Redefining Passion
Based on my own anecdotal experiences working with students and young graduates, I would offer the following alternative definition of passion and where it comes from:

Passion: The feeling that arises from have mastered a skill that earns you recognition and rewards.
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Belief (2) from above posits that passions exist a priori of any serious engagement with a pursuit; they’re some mysterious Platonic form waiting for you to discover. This is a dangerous fiction.

My alternative definition claims instead that passion is the feeling generated by mastery. It doesn’t exist outside of serious hard work.

When Scott’s readers say “I have too many passions,” what they really mean is “I have lots of superficial interests.” When my readers complain that their major is not their passion, what they really mean to say is “I don’t have a level of mastery in this field that is earning me recognition.”

I submit that this concept is liberating. It frees you from obsession over whether you are doing the “right” thing with your life. A mastery-centric view of passion says that aligning your life with passions is a good thing, but almost any superficial interest can be transformed into a passion with hard work, so there’s no reason to sweat choices such as an academic major or you first post-college career.

Your real focus should be on the long road of becoming so good they can’t ignore you.

Here are a couple short case studies to highlight the concept in practice...

Short Case Study #1: The Disillusioned Pre-Med
The most common student e-mails I receive are from pre-meds who are struggling through tough organic chemistry courses, are not having fun with it, and are worrying that perhaps becoming a doctor is not “their true passion.”

The mastery-centric approach to passion has a simple solution to this issue: focus your effort on mastering the art of being a pre-med student. Clear your schedule of junk so you have abundant time to become an A* student in the topic. Become obsessive about the effectiveness of your technical study habits.

The feeling of “passion” you seek will be generated once you start kicking ass in your courses in a way that outpaces your peers and earns you the respect of the professors. Until then, of course you’re not going to feel warm and fuzzy — at this early point in your student career, becoming a doctor is just a superficial interest. You have to build a recognized skill to transform it into something more.

Short Case Study #2: The Bored Programmer
Let’s tackle a non-academic example. Imagine a young man working in web development firm. His days are spent hacking CSS and doing some mild javascript programming. The pay is fine and the projects are interesting enough, but a feeling of dread is starting to tinge his daily commute.

“I’m not passionate about this,” our fictional programmer thinks. “Do I really want to spend the rest of my life doing the first random job I stumbled into, even if I don’t love it?”

The traditional view of passion recommends that this programmer immediately summon the courage to quit his job and find something that fits his passion. (Tim Ferriss tells the canonical story of this form: an overworked LA lawyer who dropped everything to open a surf shop in Brazil.)

The mastery-centric view, however, denies that such a priori passions exist. There’s probably no new job that would immediately grant him the feeling of passion he seeks. That can only come from mastery.

Assuming that the programmer doesn’t hate his job and the people he works with, he should instead consider generating a passion for his work by finding something he can master.

For example, over the next couple of years, he might put in serious time to become a Ruby on Rails expert — allowing his company to branch off into more complicated projects, and earning him more respect, pay, and flexibility in the process. Gaining this mastery could transform his view of his job as something he tolerates to something he loves. And it will accomplish this feat with more certainty than a sudden move to Brazil.

A Hypothesis Develops
I present these ideas with the caveat of hypothesis. I’ve recently begun an extensive effort to dive into the research literature surronding these issues. (I encountered some relevant studies when researching my upcoming book and vowed to return.) Expect to here more on these topics as I continue my exploration.

Cal Newport, PhD is the author of How to Become a Straight-A Student and How to Win at College.

 

[Daniel E.]

The Art of Mastery: The 5 Key Elements
by Tonya Leigh Williams
Just B Living E-zine
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February 25, 2010

I used to believe that the Great Masters - Picasso, Van Gogh, and Monet, to name a few - were born into mastery. I thought that their talents were a gift, innate and completely random as to who would inherit the master gene.

I also used to hate the term, mastery, because I thought it was rigid, inflexible and totally boring.

I was wrong...on both accounts.

First, mastery is not genetic or random. It is an intentional act that is available to anyone who is willing to dedicate the time, patience and practice that it takes to grow and expand in any area of interest.

The modern day masters - Lance Armstrong, Oprah, Bill Gates, Yo-Yo Ma, and Steven Speilberg - have blazed the trail in their disciplines, but it wasn’t sheer luck or random. It was intentional.

Second, mastery allows the soul to shine. When you decide that you want to excel in an area that aligns with the core of your being, the art of mastery is synonomous to working like a dog, not always easy, but so rewarding during the process of obtaining such a high level of profiency.

Like the masters of history, as well as modern day, a person can learn the art of mastery and apply it to all areas of her life, including weight loss, physical fitness and other life skills.

The Five Key Elements of Mastery
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1. Instruction

Study anyone who's great, and you'll find that they apprenticed to a master, or several masters. Therefore, if you want to achieve greatness, renown, and superlative success, you must apprentice to a master. -Robert Allen

If you want to earn a Master’s degree, you must attend school.

If you want to master anything, you must obtain proper instruction.

Many people set out on their own to learn a new skill, make a big change or excel in a certain area. This most often leads to frustration, confusion and giving up on their goals, because they failed to create a solid foundation through learning from an experienced person who has experienced and invested the necessary time to become proficient in an area of interest.

A master teacher will provide the space for you to learn and grow, while also giving you solid instruction for mastery.

2. Practice
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If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all. -Michelangelo

People attend multiple seminars, invest in programs, books, and other success tools, but in order to master anything, you must practice, practice, practice.

In the book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell says that if you want to excel to the level of mastery, you will need to spend at least 10,000 hours honing your skills.

This e-zine is a great example of mastery at work. I just started publishing last year, and I am far from reaching the 10,000 hour mark and, therefore, far from mastery. In fact, that type of time investment requires about 3 hours a day for almost a decade.

However, with each issue, I learn and grow, my writing improves, and I am convinced that if this publication is still going strong in ten years, I would have mastered the art of publishing an e-zine.

As a coach and mentor who helps women stop the struggle with food and their bodies, I constantly remind my clients that learning to reconnect with their bodies and souls takes practice. It’s not a quick fix, like a diet. It is a deep level of mastery of one’s self.

Someone recently asked me if the 10,000 rule applied to learning how to live like a naturally slim person. My personal opinion is that it does, but it takes far less than a decade. Learning how to master the art of slim occurs 24 hours a day. It is a never ending practice. The practice does not occur in 3 hour blocks. So, mastering the art of slim can occur in just over a year’s time. Not bad considering the alternative - a lifetime of misery and dieting.

However, for many women, weight loss is something they want NOW, and that’s where many women screw it up for themselves, constantly disconnecting from their bodies in order to get there in a hurry, and when they get there, they are still locked up in a struggle of fear and self-hatred, which leads to the next element of mastery. You must be patient.

3. Patience

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Patience and fortitude conquer all things. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lisa e-mailed me after one session and said,

“It’s been 7 days, and I have not lost any weight. I am so frustrated and just want to throw in the towel.”

Lisa apparently did not realize that one of the keys to success in anything is patience.

In our immediate gratifying society, patience is a rarity. People want things yesterday, but in order to learn how to master something, you must allow yourself time and patience to dive deep into a subject and swim in it for a while (10,000 hours to be exact).

Whether it’s weight loss or learning to play the cello, you must practice your new skills over and over again in order to reach a high level of proficiency.

By the way, Lisa began to look at her weight loss journey differently, as a form of practice, not a two week sprint to her desired weight. I’m happy to report that she has mastered the art of slim.

4. Consistency

One of the values of the Walt Disney company was consistency, and it managed to master the world of imagination.

If you want to become a master writer, you must write each day.

If you want to beat Roger Federer, you must play tennis each day.

If you want to master the art of slim, you must show up each day and practice eating, moving and living like a naturally slender person.

Consistency shifts mindsets. Consistency breaks habits. Consistency yields results.

5. Intention

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Our intention creates our reality. -Wayne Dyer

Mastery is impossible without intention.

I’m sure Lance Armstrong did not just cycle around Austin, Texas and one day stumble upon the fact that he could compete in the Tour de France. In his mind, he had a desired outcome: to become a world class cyclist.

Intention sets you up for success by giving your mind an outcome to work towards. (And, our minds like to be busy, so it’s better to give it something positive to work towards or you’ll end up sabotaging yourself unconsciously).

Whether it’s happiness or excel spreadsheets, intention calls upon the energy of the universe to help you achieve your desires.

With practice, patience and consistency, the power of intention will manifest anything you want: including a body you love.

Bonus Factor: The EDGE
On my way home from a Florida vacation, I decided I wanted to run a marathon within a year, I signed my husband and myself up for the Disney marathon, which would take place in nine months. That took me to my edge.

In order to master anything, you must step outside of your comfort zone and onto the edge of what you think you cannot do. You will be required to look at this thing - running a marathon, winning an Olympic gold medal, or becoming a New York times bestseller - and take the plunge.

One of my clients, Jessica, was at her edge when she decided to take swimming lessons. Now, she is a proficient swimmer who is working on her 10,000 hours.

Is Mastery hard work? Absolutely.

Is Mastery easy? No way.

However, once you live life on that edge to obtain mastery, you are changed, forever and ever. There is no going back, and even if you could, you wouldn’t even think about it!

What would you like to master?
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Tonya Leigh Williams is a coach, speaker, and writer. She is also the founder of Just B Living, a company dedicated to empowering women to create amazing lives and bodies without dieting, deprivation and drama. If you want to learn more about how to lose weight from the inside out, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to the Just B E-zine, you can click here: Just B Living​

WANT TO SEE MANY MORE INSPIRING AND FUN ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? Check out Tonya's blog at Just B Living​

 

[Daniel E.]

A potential work-life-balance trap in gaining mastery/competence is discussed in this blog excerpt:

The Competence Trap
The direct route to achieving autonomy, competence, and relatedness is to master something rare and valuable. The argument is economic: if you want your career to accommodate these desirable traits, you need to offer something valuable in return — the market couldn’t care less about your soul’s ache for fulfillment.

Following this path, however, is tricky…

Imagine you’ve managed to become “so good they can’t ignore you.” By doing so, you’ve earned what we can call career capital. You can now invest this capital to gain desirable traits in your life.

Objectively speaking, you should follow Bill McKibben’s lead and invest this capital to obtain more autonomy and relatedness while continuing to build your competence. In other words, you should improve all three areas crucial for an engaging life. (This is exactly what McKibben did when he left the bustle of the New York publishing world to write an important book on his own terms.)

Here’s the catch: this option is unlikely to be presented to you. From the perspective of the talent marketplace, the only investment that makes sense is to double down on competence – the better and more respected you are, the more value you have in the market. The other spheres, though important to you, don’t arise naturally in this economic calculus. Because of this reality, in the heat of the moment, it will seem as if only Sotomayor-style, competence-centric paths are available.

This is the competence trap: when you amass enough career capital to exert meaningful control over your life and career, the only investment presented as reasonable will be to further maximize your competence at the expense of the other areas of your life.

For example:

• The Ivy League student who graduates with honors is attracted to law school because it’s the next rung on a competitive competence-growing ladder.
• The ambitious med student turns to a demanding specialty because it’s presented as the domain for hot shots.
• The young corporate star enrolls in an MBA program so she can return to the management fast track at the company, as that’s the prize stand outs are supposed to chase.
• And so on…

To follow McKibben’s lead requires a cautious awareness of the competence traps that will litter your path as you become better and better at what you do.

Two Important Caveats
This concept provides many opportunities for subtle misunderstandings. With this in mind, let me address two important caveats.

• Caveat #1: You Still Have to Get Really Good
  The competence trap is not an argument to avoid the rat race to instead go live in semi-agrarian simplicity. The decision to invest in your autonomy and relatedness is meaningless if you don’t have career capital to spend. Mastering something rare and valuable remains the necessary first step. For example: if McKibben had coasted through Harvard then moved directly to the Adirondacks, he probably would have failed. Key to his path was first becoming an excellent and respected writer. The End of Nature, for example, was serialized by his old employeer, The New Yorker, before publication — helping to ensure a big impact. Deciding to leave the magazine world to write books was not a risky decision for McKibben — he knew he had game, as did the publishing industry — it was just an unusual one. As I’ve argued before, these big changes shoudn’t make you too nervous.
• Caveat #2: You Then Have to Continue to Get Better
  Sidestepping the competence trap doesn’t mean that you stop building your competence to instead dedicate your life to your family, or your garden, or whatever other image dominates your daydreams. Instead, it means that you build autonomy and relatedness along with competence. You’re not stepping into an existence free of responsiblity; the remarkable life can still be remarkably demanding — but it’s demanding on your own terms.

Corrupted Callings: The Subtle Difference Between Finding Your Life’s Work and Loving Your Life

 

[Daniel E.]

Another update:

It’s unlikely that you’ll unearth a burning life’s mission hidden conveniently just below the surface of your psyche. What you seek is more fundamental: an acceptance that doing things well is hard, and always will be, and that you need to spend more time than you thought was necessary deciding which such hard things gain rights to your attention.

None of this is easy. All of it is exciting...

The Upside of Deep Procrastination - Study Hacks

 

[Daniel E.]

Study Hacks ? The Danger of the Dream Job Delusion

Study Hacks ? The Passion Trap: How the Search for Your Life's Work is Making Your Working Life Miserable

 

[Daniel E.]

You don’t find your passion
by Dr. Susan Bernstein, Work from Within

...I don’t believe in “finding” your passion. First, you have multiple passions. Second, your passions are never lost. They’re always inside you, waiting to be awakened. What you want to find are the places where your passions resonate...

You awaken your passions by knowing the people, places, and situations that give you energy. Passion isn’t just one thing. Believing you have to find the “one thing” can drive you batty! Your passion is formed by a constellation of experiences that make you feel alive. Make a list of what energizes you. Carry it around. Feel that energy. And start to notice where you have more energy, and where you have less. As you spend more and more time in that positive energy, you’ll discover the work (and the people, places, and situations that resonate for you).