Passion
by Angelia Ong in Creative Arts | 7 Comments | Add your comment

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The word “passion” can stir up a variety of reactions in people. It can conjure up giggles, a nudge and a wink, or it can bring a look of horror. “Passion” can mean so many things, but most of all it goes hand in hand with love. Loving what you do gives you that passion and drive to go on, despite any obstacles thrown in your path. Passion makes you wake up in the morning, feel thankful that you get to do what you love to do.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be your life’s vocation. It can be something as simple as collecting this week’s spanking new shiny pair of custom trainers or having those action figures lovingly displayed in a glass cupboard at home. It can be in baking for the family or hunting for bargains among the second hand markets. Whatever hobbies, collector’s items, anything really, can give you that passionate glint in your eye when you talk about it.

Passion keeps a dancer going, despite the injuries and the struggles going through auditions and try-outs. After all, all they want to do is dance. The same applies to many in the creative arts field. They want to dance, act, write, or draw. The passion for their craft drives them onwards, despite any hurdles.

So why then is it so elusive? Why is it that many don’t pursue their passions, settling for just being, rather than taking that risk? Chasing that dream, living that passion can be scary, especially if you have mortgages, family to feed, bills to pay among all those reasons that hold us back. It is definitely a roller coaster ride, when you take that leap off the proverbial cliff, to “make a go” at feeding that passion. Having inspirational mentors or supporters around can make such a difference in helping you [through] those darker days, when the kids need this and that for school or the bills mount up.

Speaking of one such inspirational person, I had the privilege to hear John Stevenson, director of Kung Fu Panda speak at a local conference here in Malaysia and listening to him talk about how the movie was made, how imperative it is to work on the storytelling, was definitely a motivating factor in how I’ve been approaching our creative work. More recently, he spoke at yet another conference about this very subject, “Passion”. (John Stevenson:http://www.g4tv.com/videos/51285/DICE-2011-Monsters-Muppets-and-Movies-Presentation/?quality=hd) Part of what he spoke about in his speech struck a chord in many of our hearts, to paraphrase: “Be passionate about what you do and do the very best on whatever it is, even if it isn’t the epic film or the award winning commercial you thought you could work on”. He talked about working on the Muppet show with Jim Henson and how he was such an inspirational man himself and that passion for what they did showed in their work [and] in their daily lives.

“Be passionate about what you do and do the very best on whatever it is, even if it isn’t the epic film or the award winning commercial you thought you could work on” – John Stevenson, director of Kung Fu Panda.

This is often what’s missing these days. It seems so elusive to find this drive and passion about something, whether it’s work, a hobby or a vocation in many people but it’s there, hidden in the struggle just to keep up with the whirlwind of life. There are days that are tougher than others to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but they exist to make you realize just how blessed those good days are, at least that’s what I tell myself. What drives me?

That’s right, passion. I passionately believe in what I’m doing, the creativity, building my own business with my husband, giving back to the industry, raising our kids the best way that we can and try and teach them to survive and thrive in this world without losing sight of their dreams and their humanity.

Can you do the same, find that passion in what you do? Why not? Believe that you can and take each step forward. Believe that you can get through those hurdles and have the faith that the work you put in will pay off in the end. Listen to and learn from those have done it before you and have those around you who understand what you are going through.

Passion: Never leave home without it and use it to embrace what life has to offer.

ABOUT THE COLUMNIST

A lover of words and storytelling, Angelia co-runs a creative consultancy that also works with a collective of creative talents. She is also involved with Pekomik and believes that comics aren’t just for kids and good storytelling transcends all mediums and languages. She believes in the motto “Fortune Aids the Brave” and that passion in whatever you do will get you far. You can reach Angelia via Twitter or Facebook.

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