In week 1 we were assigned readings or the option of watching a video.  Of course, I chose to watch the video.  I am actually really glad I chose to watch the video.

The video is a discussion on passion in regards to career.  What makes you love your career?  Dr Cal Newport refers to Steve Jobs and shares his famous saying “You’ve got to find what you love…If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.”  He unpacks this quote and discusses that it does not necessarily mean: Follow your passion.  That is too simple.

This particularly resonates with me.  How the culture of passion can be non-beneficial. I think it’s interesting how thousands of people have found this quote through social media and the likes, but no one seems to have unpacked the quote.  No one wants to dig deeper and explore what it means.  “You’ve got to find what you love…If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.” No it doesn’t completely mean: follow your passion.  It means: try new things, get really good at something and the passion will follow.  People are happy with the media telling them what to think and to simply follow your passion and this is a real issue.  The media is numbing our minds and destroying our capability for independent thought.

Newport speaks about how passion is not enough.  More often than not, passions do not coincide with a realistic money making career.  Yes, I may be passionate about singing and creating music, but will this be a realistic career goal?  Maybe, but maybe not.  Why can I not study Media at RMIT and develop a passion in the world of media?  Over time if I develop a passion for writing and making a difference through the media then yes, I believe that I will love my career.  And what if I didn’t have a passion start with, or one strong enough that I wanted to follow?  What happens then?  If following your passion is the key to happiness, how do I find happiness when my passion is non-existent?  Maybe I was so lost after I finished year 12 because I didn’t have a passion that I wanted to follow and with the world and the media so focused on passion, the passionless are left isolated and ostracised.  “It’s about what you do once you get going,” Says Newport.  Fundamentally, it’s about the impact you make once you start your career.  Naturally, humans enjoy making other humans happy, so if you’re making a positive impact in your career, why would that not fulfil you?

Something that my father showed me when I was studying in school was a quote by U.S former President Calvin Coolidge:

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

This is something that has stuck with me throughout school and on into every day life.  I think this is part of what Newport is trying to say in the video.  Basically our current generation is bombarded with privilege.  No one wants to do or be anything but happy and inspired.  Our parents, teachers and friends encourage this.  But we have lost the idea that persistence is going to take us further than Passion or talent ever will.   I strongly believe that this video was an extremely good choice to prescribe to first week media students.  It has allowed me to really think about what I want from this course.  I do want to make a difference with writing and utilising the media as it plays such a massive role in our society.

Yes, passion can be good advice, but passion does not equal happiness.

• Image taken from Cal Newport’s video presentation of “So Good They Can’t Ignore You.”