Day 84: 25.2 miles/1:27
“Success found in one’s own passion holds the key to true happiness.” ~ Brandon Cooke
When Brandon shared this thought with me this morning, I asked him to share his ideas around it. Today’s blog post features Brandon’s perspective on the above thought. Thanks, Brandon for your contribution today.
I have often struggled to be happy with my life. I tend to focus on all the things I have either lost – my guitars, my $2,000 computer, or my damaged relationships with family and friends. I even focus on my lack of achievement in some of things that I want to accomplish such as recording and producing my own album and going on tour playing my music.
It all these missing things that I use as an excuse to keep myself stuck in the same place when I should be focusing on how turn them into motivators to create change. Happiness, like anything else, does not come for free and it does not come easy. It is something I have to work for.
I also believe there is a fine line between being content and true happiness. There are many things that could help me to be content in my life right now – having a stable job, a steady income, and maintaining good relationships with friends and family. Don’t get me wrong, these are very nice and important; but, I believe that my life needs to more than simply “vanilla.” I aspire to more.
I have frequently told my father that if I could just have enough money from my music to live, my life would be perfect. I view this as success because I would be able to live doing what I love. What could possibly be more rewarding and satisfying that to be compensated for pursuing your deepest passion? Mine is music.
There are many people in this world who have very successful careers, drive nice cars, and live in multi-million homes yet they still feel unfulfilled and unsatisfied with where they are in their life. I truly believe they will always feel this way until they take a step back and ask themselves “what am I truly passionate about?” and actually do something about it.
This is why I believe that success alone does not create happiness; rather, being successful through living your passion is the key to the happiness in life we all seek.
