Growing up with the role models i did gave me a distorted view of the real world.
Follow your dreams seemed like the thing to say.
For example,lets remember a favorite speech,maybe a pageant winner or an Oscar winner or even a reality show winner speech.
I am pretty sure you remember them saying "Don't let anybody tell you,you cant do it" or "Always follow your dreams",as if this was their secret of reaching the top of their field.
Dont get me wrong,persistance and encouragement have a huge value and should always be there when we are trying to succeed.
GET SERIOUS
TV ROLE MODELS SHOULD NOT GIVE LIFE ADVICES TO OUR KIDS
Personally if i had kids,i would not want them getting advice from strangers who dont know my kid and he's / her's dreams.Maybe my kid's dreams are stupid! Who says to a strange impressionable kid "Don't give u your passion! "
You think that Beyonce or Brad Pitt know where following your dreams may lead you?
Let's see an example.Auditions for the next X Factor reality show.
Tens of thousands of "dreamer" kids.The same advice goes to all of them."Follow your dreams" once again.
How many of them will succeed? 1-2? maybe 3?What about the rest?What about the dissapointment ?
I value passion,i really do.But not when it comes to life changing decisions.
You have a hobby?Sure,be passionate about it!
But we have to be realistic when it comes to career moves or giving our selves to dreams.
Yes,maybe some people followed their dreams and went from zero to hero.But what do you think is the percentage that does that? Maybe even less than 1%.What about the lives destroyed by following their dreams?
No,we dont hear about those,we hear of the 1%.This gives a totally distorted expectation of the real world.
Here is a screenshot of google results when i typed "passion quotes"
Somehow this screenshot seems a bit "one sided" to me
There is a short story i really like.
There was once found gold in a mountain,word came out and soon hundreds of people came to dig it out.
You know who became rich?The guy at the bottom selling shovels.
Follow opportunities,not dreams.
(also follow me for more, @steembeast )
sad but true