07 Jan Those Who Made Sacrifices to Pursue Their Passions
Like most of the human population on this Earth, you probably have a hobby or activity you’re extremely passionate about and you’d like to:
#1. Build a life around it
#2. Build a career around it
First, kudos to you! Seriously, everyone should strive to pursue their goals in life – not just for the glitz and glam of fame or the pool of dollar bills you could swim in – but simply for the pure elation it brings you. And besides, use your imagination; there are infinite possibilities of way cooler things you could swim in – Jell-O, spaghetti, ice cream, vodka. Yeah, I’m digressing.
Now let me ask you this: Does repeated failure tickle your fancy? How about immense struggle and the need to adapt to continuous change? Let’s be honest, none of those things sound alluring, but they’re things you must be willing to face in order to chase your dreams.
The internet is teeming with articles claiming to have the magic formula for trading in your mundane 9 to 5 job for your “dream gig,” or they simply advise you to give up on pursuing your passion as a career altogether.
But, guess what? There are scores of individuals across the globe that have followed their passions and discovered success along the way. Society has chosen to glorify words like “purpose” and “passion” when it comes to your career and lifestyle choices, yet it almost completely disregards the accompanying chaos, pain, and failure that one must overcome to arrive at their desired destination.
Founder of MBAsXAmerica and TED speaker, Casey Gerald, speaks to this lack of transparency and the high tolerance one must have when it comes to setbacks. He says:
“One of the things that bothers me about the conversations that people have about following your dreams . . . is that often the people who are saying it are people who don’t have much at stake–they don’t have to worry much about bills, or they have connections, or trust funds, etc. But the reality is that life is really freaking hard . . . and in many ways, the world conspires to fight against you. I wish we had a healthier dialogue about suffering, so that people who are suffering don’t feel like it’s the end.”
That may sound kinda crappy, but if you adequately prepare yourself by saving up money, building a strong support system, and learning that sacrifice is sometimes synonymous with passion, then you’ll be ready for whatever obstacles attempt to knock you off course.
Don’t shy away from taking risks. While you want to be strategic about your plan and make thoughtful choices, you also have to recognize when something just isn’t working out – pull the plug and move on to the next course of action. Wipe your hands clean of that misstep and exercise a level of mindfulness when it comes to being present and learning from your failures or mistakes.
Throw away the notion that you’re going to get it right the first time. #RealityCheck – you’re not. But that’s okay, almost no one does. And for those that miraculously do, they can’t sit with us.
Embrace the Cliché’s
We’ve all heard them, they’re annoying AF, but there’s a reason they exist. Sayings like, “Never give up,” may cause your blood pressure to rise, but you may be one step, one action, or one more push away from success.
I mean, HELLOOO – J.K. Rowling, Sarah Jessica Parker, Stephen King – all household names that certainly didn’t have an easy path to success. Some suffered abused, were homeless, experienced rejection after rejection, and yet they persisted.
Whether you nurture your passion outside of your full-time job or decide to completely switch gears and follow the path that brings you happiness, there’s no wrong way to reach for the stars.
There’s certainly no shortage of individuals who’ve transformed their passion (something they often offered for free just to get their feet wet) into insanely successful ventures. Check out these people who pursued their passion out of love – and success/fortune happened to follow.
Al “Bubba” Baker
Who would’ve thought a Pro Bowl defensive end for the NFL relished the opportunity to prepare a good meal? After Baker retired, he followed his love for all things savory and launched his own BBQ restaurant. Mmm…I can just smell that sweet, succulent aroma drifting off the grill right now…
Baker went on to patent a new method for deboning spare ribs. The 1978 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year continued his forward momentum, convincing Daymond John, an investor (among other things) on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank to invest in his company. Talk about shifting gears.
Yvon Chouinard
Chouinard began rock climbing out of his fascination and research of the falcon aeries (you know, the birds). The avid self-taught climber wound up saving all of his hard-earned cash to construct his own climbing tools, which he did by teaching himself blacksmithing.
In 1961, he made his first trip to Shawangunk Ridge, free climbing the first pitch of Matinee (a.k.a. the toughest free climb ever performed at Shawangunk Ridge at that time). While there, he revolutionized the face of safety protocols for climbers by introducing chrome-molybdenum steel pitons to the area.
The success of his pitons led him to establish Chouinard Equipment, Ltd. Like every great story, however, the company wound up filing for bankruptcy in 1989 as a means to protect themselves from liability lawsuits. But, hey, no worries – his fervor inspired a new venture, Patagonia, a clothing and gear company.
Though not his motivating factor, Chouinard leveraged the financial success of the company to pursue his commitment to environmental activism, donating a percentage of his profits towards the cause. So, what’s he worth now? 1.2 billion. Take that for pursuing what fills your heart with joy – and helping Mother Nature along the way.
Vivienne Westwood
This is the epic British designer who captured everyone’s attention with her unconventional, innovative fashion designs. She first stepped into the working world as an employee in a factory before later enrolling in a training school for teachers. During her adolescence, the designer’s life was heavily defined by the industrial revolution rather than literature, theater or the arts – something she felt was missing from her childhood.
Inspiration (and divorce) struck after Malcolm McLaren nuzzled his way into Westwood’s life (sorry, Derek Westwood). She made her own jewelry until being thrust into the heart of the punk rock scene, where she created clothing from McLaren’s designs. The two garnered attention after McLaren became the manager of the Sex Pistols and had the band wear Westwood’s apparel. Talk about an incredibly rare opportunity for free advertising.
Westwood opened a small boutique shop in 1971 on Kings Road. Her designs became a symbol of individualism, self-expression, and a statement of culture. Eccentric and eclectic, her line is now strutting down the runway at major fashion shows around the globe.
🎵 Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it. Strike a pose, there’s nothing to it 🎶 (I’m looking at you, Madonna)
Let’s Chat About Two Youtubers Whose Hearts Were Feeling the Passion…
DisneyCollectorBR
Say hello to the nameless, faceless Brazilian YouTube personality who became known for her videos featuring Disney toys. What started as a hobby now has over 1.51 billion views and a net worth of $8 million. It’s incredibly humbling to see such a successful woman maintain her anonymity despite the whirlwind of success. She does it out of pure love for showing the youngsters how to use and play with certain toys. Between her soothing voice, spellbinding background music, and kid-friendly instructions, she continues to be a big hit!
Philip DeFranco
DeFranco has been a highly cherished YouTube vlogger since 2006, with over 6.4 million subscribers and 2.72 billion views. He was just a regular kid from the Bronx who enjoyed videotaping himself doing stupid and ridiculous things (oh how it makes me miss Vine). That is until he wound up building a small empire with his contagious humor and comments on political news. His videos are engaging and truly forge a personal connection with viewers. Yes…even through a screen. He was the first of many who gained popularity simply by responding to a popular news story and putting a unique (and hilarious) spin on it.
And Lastly, We Can’t Forget About My Man
I’m talking about Steve Jobs…duh. He literally gave up everything in his eagerness to learn and innovate, and it all culminated in one of the largest, well-known companies of all time. There’s a great quote from him speaking of his young adult years:
“I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple.”
There’s a lot to be said about how Steve Jobs lived his life. There were long stretches of time when he neglected family and friends, treated employees poorly, and took many missteps. But Jobs is a unique individual who often walked the very thin line between madness and sanity. He wanted to make a mark on the world and despite the ups, downs, and chaos in between, he fulfilled that dream.
You get what I’m putting down here?
There are thousands of stories to be told. So many people have sacrificed everything to pursue their passions. And it wasn’t just about racking in the dough or being in the spotlight – it was about doing what they loved.
Do you have a story? We’d love to hear it. Share with us in the comments below!
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