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7 Tips for Pursuing Your Passion, Even If You Feel Behind

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“Don’t worry about what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~Howard Thurman

From center stage I looked out into the crowd as the stage lights warmed my face and did their best to obscure my vision.

In the half-light of the seating area I spotted the faces of family, friends, many other members of the local jazz community, and other people who had come out to support me. Smiling. Clapping. Congratulating.

I didn’t feel happy. Not exactly. The situation was too surreal to do much except just notice it. Nor did I feel relief that the event had more or less gone off without a hitch.

It was the final concert that every jazz performance student at my university has to put on at the end of their third year. For me, it was particularly special because of all the obstacles I’d overcome to get there.

I’d been accepted into the school having played guitar for two years, when most of the other students had been playing since the beginning of junior high at the very latest.

And I’d only been accepted because the guitar instructor, who I’d taken a couple lessons with, told the judges panel during my entrance performance that I’d made the most week-to-week progress he’d seen in thirty years of teaching.

At that time, I could barely even read music. But I knew my instrument well and was ridiculously driven.

I also had chronic tendonitis.

That year, I had only picked up my guitar for classes and performances. Otherwise it was too painful to touch. To practice, I would visualize the instrument and play in my head.

Naturally, my outlet for my frustration over the situation was the very thing I couldn’t do.

It had been the most challenging year of my life. In third year the gloves came off and we were expected to become true professionals.

My friends would pull the occasional all-nighter to write an essay or finish a project. For me, practicing until five in the morning had become routine. I would have to laugh to myself when people told me I had it good—that I got to play for work.

Yet, for that one night, on stage with some of the best musicians in the city—leading them even—I felt like I was truly one of them. The long days and longer nights spent practicing had been validated.

It would be my final concert. My injuries were too much to continue playing. In hindsight, the growing problem had been incredibly obvious. But at the time, I wanted it so badly I pushed through the pain and threw out the long-term repercussions.

When I finally stepped off the stage my friend LadyBird ran over and engulfed me with a huge hug, gasping “You did it.” She had been the one who convinced me to pursue music when I was in my last year of high school, and we’d spent countless nights together practicing over the last few years.

Even three and a half years later, thinking of that night makes my eyes misty. A mélange of joy and sadness.

The whole experience in the jazz program and the aftermath taught me an incredible amount about myself, life, passion, and persistence. Here are 7 of the main lessons I learned along the way:

1. Only you can decide whether you’re “good enough” to do something.

Everyone was a beginner once, and it’s better to start late than never.

2. Be patient.

Life will do funny things to throw you off course, but you have your entire life ahead of you to pursue your passion. Things don’t have to happen right away. Take care of the current situation, keep moving forward each day, and you’ll be happy where you end up.

3. Don’t get so caught up in your passion that you neglect the other important areas of your life.

I neglected my health and to a lesser extent, my relationships when I was pursuing my passion for music.

Passion, that fire that burns brightly inside us, can push us to incredible heights. But it can also consume and destroy.

Leading a well rounded life will make it easier to appreciate your passion and share it with the world than locking yourself away to pursue a narrow, single purpose.

4. Ask for help from people have gone through what you are.

Often we feel like asking questions is a sign of weakness, like we’re admitting our own ignorance. Nothing could be further from the truth. We’re admitting a willingness to learn and displaying humility.

5. When you’re at your lowest moment, you’re near a huge breakthrough—even if it’s not the one you expected.

It’s how we handle the worst moments that ultimately determine our success.

6. Appreciate how amazing it is that you even have an opportunity to pursue a passion.

That puts you in a minority of all the people who have ever lived. You don’t have to hunt/gather food, farm the land, or otherwise spend every moment focusing on your survival.

You get to do something for the pure and simple fact that you enjoy it.

And that’s amazing.

7. Never, ever give up.

I lied earlier. It wasn’t actually my last concert. Only the last one until the next one.

Photo by Shan Sheehan

About AJ Walton

AJ Walton sold all his stuff to travel the world, learn languages, & discover what it means to live a rich life. Find out how to have big experiences on a small budget on his travel blog at AJWalton.com

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Sunset

Thank you. I needed this. 🙂

Tim

I really like point # 6, AJ. You definitely put it in perspective. Thank you.

Mart

I like all the points you mentionned! The one that resonates the most with me, as I’m going throught some hardships, is :
It’s how we handle the worst moments that ultimately determine our success.
So true! I love your story because it kind of reflect my life in many ways. I started playing guitar at the age of 21. I always knew it was my passion and that I am here, on this planet, do be a musician. But I never had the confidence to persue this dream, thinking I was not good enough and thinking people would not want to see me play. I always had to deal with social anxiety as well and just thinking of being on a stage was terrifying! I went through a major depression… Today, I’m 25 and I have decided to sell all my stuff, including my house, quit the office job; to pursue my dream!
Your post is really helpful through this period of change! Thanks again and I wish you the best of luck in your future projects!
Rock on! m/
Mart

Talya Price

I am going to write these tips down in my journal. This is a very good article and reflects the way I feel about my life right now.

Ohana de Oliveira

I think number 3 is happening to me… thankyou for the light 🙂 Nice post!
PS: I would love to hear your playing.

katherine

Hey Mart, thats sounds cool to do that. I was wondering, how are pursuing the dream, will you make a band or just sell your recordings? Playing guitar is also my passion in life, but society wants to force everyone into office jobs. How do you get round it? I need to find a way a like you 😛
Katherine

Guest

Hi Katherine! It’s great to see another musician here! 😉

I would
like to do both; join a band and also work on solo projects.

But the best tip I can give you is to never give up and just follow your heart! (I know it’s cliché but it’s true! :P) We need to take tiny steps everyday and just surround ourselves with positive people who support our dreams!
I hope the best of luck to you! 😉

Mart

Mart

Hi Katherine! It’s great to see another musician here! 😉

I would like to do both; join a band and also work on solo projects. The best tip I can give you is to never give up and just follow your heart! (I know it’s cliché but it’s true! :P) We need to take tiny steps everyday and just surround ourselves with positive people who support our dreams!

I hope the best of luck to you! 😉
Mart

AJWalton

Thanks for the feedback Tim

AJWalton

Glad I could help Sunset

AJWalton

Someday you’ll get that chance Ohana – thanks for the support.

AJWalton

I’ve found writing things down to be one of the most helpful exercises we can do to get some clarity – maybe that should be point #8.

AJWalton

We should talk Mart!

I wish you the best in your pursuit and admire your courage to take that leap – we need more people who take decisive action.

AJWalton

There are 3 basic options I’ve seen:

1) Have a “day job” or part time gig to pay the bills (which you should minimize as much as possible)
2) Really learn to market yourself as a musician and hustle like mad, play basically any gig that comes up.
3) Say “screw it” and just do what you love and live with the risk that maybe you won’t live a life of wealth and prestige, people will question your sanity, and you’ll fight doubts – but ultimately be happy.

Paean

I feel for you, friend. God bless you and keep you and lead you to even greater blessings down the road.

Andrew Golightly

I feel I’m at #5 today..

And reading that point made me laugh out loud and get really excited and inspired for the next moments. Thank you AJ

kiki

I really enjoyed your posting Im 23 year old single mother and ive always wanted to pursue acting and I still want to your post is very inspirational thank u for sharing

Sourav Ghosh

Indeed a very nice post. Your post reminded me of a recent documentary I saw. “Don’t Stop Believin’. Everyman’s Journey” . The true story of Lead singer of legendary band ‘Journey’ – Arnel Pineda. Rising from extreme poverty in Philippines, to being selected by his dream band seeing his YouTube video may seem like a fairy tale. But the truth is he never gave up his passion, just like you AJ.

Ashley Keogh

Brilliant post and I love that you are doing what you write, doing as
you preach. Traveling the world and being free I admire you for that.Checking out your website right now 🙂

C.J. Harris

Thanks for posting this. It was much needed.

AJWalton

Thanks Ashley 🙂

AJWalton

best of luck to you Kiki

AJWalton

Thanks Andrew, hope you get that breakthrough soon.

Jobry Gapul

Thanks for this, now this made me understand my question, ‘how too pursue your passion?’

Ben

Good read! Somehow I am enlightened with the Tips. Im already 33 and no direction in my life yet. Thanks for this. I will now think about what really my passion is and start from there…
Godbless, AJ!