Which would you choose between passion and practicality?

Question

What is your life's passion? What gets you all excited and happy? What if your source of inspiration would not give you a secure future? and What if the path to explore your passion is not well trodden? would you pursue it or would you settle for the second best just because it gives more security? Would you live the moment now? or work your *** off knowing that you are working for security? What happens if you took the practical road and have achieved your goal and found out that you regretted your choice? What happens then?

@ stephanie p: im sorry if you're bothered by the details. its just the thought process. thanks for your answer btw.

thanks for all the great input you guys esp. to AK, gudrun, zephyrescent, alfanso

thank you Liza, Sonny and Type3thinker for stopping by. i appreciate your answers, all of you. m_cyberfriend also gave me an answer but he didnt post it here. thank you still.

Answer 1

Not to sound like a cliche, but life has to be more about the journey than the destination. Therefore, passion must be an essential element of a life well lived. It is the unfortunate end of most men to finally discover their passion in life but find they are too old to pursue it as they would have as a younger man. Passion usually has nothing to do with our work, unless we have found work we love doing-then it's not really work any more. It is more of an extra-curricular type of pursuit. I believe the passion you are asking about is not the romantic type, although ones life could be driven by a desire for sensual pleasures. There are many of us who have a desire to create, myself included, something that others will remember us by. For many women, that ultimate creation may be a child from their womb. For men, it is more likely his creative genius that causes him to leave his mark on the world. I am a mad scientist, an innovator. My passion is to create things that improve the lives of humans and animals. To observe nature and learn its practical lessons. Without the pursuit of our passion, life can be a chore, our work the equivalent of slavery. Passion breaks those chains! Its pursuit frees our minds and bodies to experience a fuller potential and gravity toward our ultimate goal in life-happiness.

Answer 2

I'm not exactly sure why you want me to answer this but its a very good question and makes me think.
I would choose passion but all passions if there are non destructive and in the heart of a good person are practical and meaningful.
My life's passion is kindness, its the most important thing for me really.
Excited and happy? Well exctied is the thought of adventure and promise and hope and the risk that it may fail-a challenge i guess is exciting. And happy-appreciation makes me happy. If i feel down or low all i have to do is focus on even the littlest spiderweb or pavement and it swells me with appreciation of existence and i realize how chance-lucky we are to be alive. Then i'm happy. I'm happiest on a freezing cold frosted night under the skyful of stars.
Its possible that it may not give you a secure future. But whats more important, being yourself and happy insecurely or warping and bending yourself into a lifestyle thats ungenuine for your personality and thus you become that which you are not at the cost of your happiness.
I have a choice before me to trod a path never trodden for a future insecure but inspiring. I do not know what to do but i'm optimistic. There's a Robert frost Poem i love-Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood. It ends-"Two Roads ddiverged in a yellow wood and i, i took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference".
Who are you asking this question-these are EXACTLY the questions i'm facing in life now and i have a week to decide. As for the 2nd best option-i'm not sure if i'll take the safe comfortable irish social work job over the Nepali adventure i'm offered.
I live every moment NOW but its the moment thats not now, thats ahead thats taking up the now with thoughts and worries.
Security is nothing without happiness, kindness and character. Security alone is paranoia, overprotectiveness and withers the soul. The only chance to live a secure life and be happy is to live to secure happy things like family.
If you regret your choice there is no going back. But there is going on in a different direction. It will seem impossible but even the most trapped situations yield the most blossoming promises.
Then-you must dissolve regret and make a change.
Individual happiness is important-and if it means leaving loved ones for the passionate insecurity then their love for your happiness will let you freely find yourself.
But remember, passion does not equal happiness. Adventure does not equal happiness. But know that even in despair there is the appreciation of tragedy to help you find meaning long enough to undo the despair.
Now-let me ask you one question? What are you going to do?

Answer 3

I have always chosen practicality over my passion. With that said I find myself wondering every single day what my life might be like had I chosen my passion every now and then. Don't get me wrong, I do love life. And I'm not ready to call mine done. I'm just finally starting to realize that maybe life holds something more than duty and responsibilities. Maybe it's okay to pursue something purely out of love and selfish passion. Maybe that's okay?
How do we reconcile the pursuit of passion with a lifetime of practicality? I don't know yet. But I would definitely recommend to all those younger than I to mix in your passions every now and then. Make it about you occasionally even if it seems selfish and self-serving sometimes. It will make you feel like a whole person and give you a little hope for tomorrow.
Life is not just about obligations and commitments. Don't fall into that trap, it's very difficult to free yourself when you do.
It's your life, make it about you!

he added later...
I can't stop thinking about this question. So many others have answered "passion" and I think, after really considering this for several days, they are exactly right. I was trying to get there in my initial answer. I just really felt the need to clarify that at this point in my life I do think passion is the way to go. You have to live for the passion in life. If you don't you will wake up some day and it will be too late. A lifetime of missed opportunities will be behind you and your little box of amazing treasures will be empty. Definitely go for the passion. I'm going to spend the rest of my time seeking that which inspires me. I am going to pursue the passion I have ignored all these years.
Thank you so much for this question, I really mean that!

Answer 4

Very good question. I have always chosen passion. My mind and body will not allow me to do it any other way. Right now I am forced to choose a path of practicality because of promises and responsibilities, and I feel like I'm being suffocated. Many times my source of inspiration led to an unsecured future. Do I regret it? No. By taking these risks, I learned about my strengths and I've conquered some fears. My passion has led me to marry someone my family did not approve, to leave well paid, secure employment in an instant, and to move to a different country. I do not regret any of it. I feel in a way that it was meant to be just as it is, because I listened to my inner voice. As a result, I'm somewhat more fearless, although I'm still riddled with fear, and I don't really care what other people or society think. I think deep down, I've always been a bit of a rebel, and I've learned to trust my inner voice.

I'd also like to add that the key to avoiding regret and guilt is taking the time to forgive yourself, and to be grateful / thankful for all that you have in your life right now, which in fact should be credited to your choices in life.

Answer 5

I am sorry to say that I cannot fully understand your compound question. Yet I will answer some of them.

Practicality is what I prefer, yet at the same time I need passion in my life, just to get a balance life. Now what really excites me is to see the growth and change of another person, especially those who I am helping.

If you ask what is my passion, I cannot clearly tell you that, for I am still trying to find it. I guess the reason I choose to work hard for my own security. Because in the proccess of this long run, I guess I will see things more clearly. I can find more meaning of certain things.

Regret for something is we all unavoidable in life, for we all make mistakes once in a while. And no one can garentee that he/she have no mistakes, unless he/she is perfect.

Answer 6

Passion, most definitely. It's rooted deep inside of me and never failed me regardless of the approach (in most cases, passionate moves are made spontaneously). At times though, one needs to go down the practical route but only for things that DO NOT MATTER as much (i.e. daily routine chores, choosing online payment vs mailing etc. ). Passion is always accompanied by pain (and yes it does require enormous emotional investment) but the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in the end is just priceless (cannot be accomplished via practical route). If I want mediocre results or just have to complete the task with minor value, regardless of its nature (it is ultimately up to me to determine the standards and metrics), I'll use the practical approach to save time. Time becomes relative when accomplishing passionate conquests, and all that matters is that whatever it is, it's accomplished to the best of my ability and satisfaction. This is where my genius comes out, ultimately resulting in a masterpiece.

Answer 7

I have chosen practicality over passion. I am happy knowing that I have security for me and those around me. I definitely feel like I missed out on a completely different life because of it, though. I, in some ways, feel emptier because of it. But, had I chosen passion, would I have the life I have now? The people in my life that I have now? I don't think so, so I make peace with the that trade-off.

Answer 8

What is practicality if not the justification of actions driven by passion? Passion is the engine of the world. All life is driven by passion. Come to think about it, may be we should apply practicality instead. Perhaps this way we will avoid all the chaos and wars. The only problem with being fully practical is that one has to forgo living.

Answer 9

Always chasing winds I ended up nearly crazy and weird yet full of nice pictures and memories. The time came to become practical yet every now and then knowing the back door of my mind I open it and escape! I leave some bread crambs on my way though cause last time I gor lost in the passion avenue I got $hit scared;)

Answer 10

I like your Question, but Too many questions inside the question...I think this is something that you have to workout for yourself...And likewise everyone has to work out for themselves...For me, I've learned that "Passion" or the exciting lifestyle that you mention, sometime is superficial...and much happiness can be found in a practical life...

Good luck on your quest!