The Passion Factor

What is Our True Value in the Absence of Externalities? Success in today’s world is often defined by materially motivated factors such as wealth, power, fame, luxury, and social class and status. Often times, we have some people name dropping, trying in vanity to claim close relationships with other people they consider well placed in society. Every one wants to be associated with success or successful people. You only need to watch television regarding Hollywood gossip to understand what is being talked about here. People are known even to gate-crash social gatherings or parties of rich and famous. As such elitism, including one’s own attributes of self-imagined aristocracy, such as common among pretentious and the charlatans is often confused as hallmarks of success. Yet as we contend, to be truly successful, we must focus beyond materialism and ask ourselves—what kind of humane legacy we intend to leave the world with. This includes our children and our families. Indeed what will be our legacy? Will we have made a meaningful contribution towards the improvement of human life and society? Or, is our success defined just by how many cars or mansions we own, or by how we rise in the corporate sector, even if that ascension came through boot-licking or serving as a crony to some human idol? Can we define success by our bank accounts, or by the chain of academic degrees, and elite Universities we have attended? Is success defined by the number of friends we can court from among elite of society? Indeed what is our true value in the absence of externalities? 16 Peter B. Kaoma We must have a positive sense of direction that encompasses our whole life and not just our career, University degrees, material possessions or bank account. When one begins to understand why he, or she wants to attain a particular goal in life that emanates from his or her inner heart, that person’s accomplishments easily give rise to a genuine satisfaction, making the individual a truly successful person in life. Have you even wondered why God gave us different gifts and talents? In the eyes of the world success is often defined by what we are, as opposed to who we are. It is said, we are what we dress, yet the dress itself never tells us the full story of who we are because, after all, that dress will sooner or later wear out and lose color or texture. But our character, which is who we are and is intrinsic, will never wear out and thus, helps to point to our inner-self. If you do not have character and clarity of purpose, and are struggling to live up to someone else’s definition of success, you are likely to reach the top of your career or academic education, but wonder why you still feel dissatisfied. As you reach the top of your career and are confronted with uncertainty that lies beyond, you begin to realize that your identity as an individual has been compromised by external forces. The “what we are” is based on what we have accomplished and the positions we hold regardless of how we got there. “And what we are is a reflection of the realism around us rather than a reflection of some utopian idealism that we may be fantasizing about. The philosophical dictates of idealism often dwell on the laurels of what we ought to be as opposed to what we really are. Through passion, however, we can get to where we want to be or we can reach the heights we have wanted to reach. But such strides in life call for discipline, perseverance, will-power, and determination. It does not come easy. But that does not mean we should be afraid of change or that we should get discouraged. It simply means that we must be strategic and visionary in the steps we take in life. It is this latter aspect that can either make or destroy a dream. There is nothing wrong with dreaming as long as the dream is grounded in reality The Passion Factor 17 and not fantasy. A fantasy is an illusion; it lacks passion and is often devoid of substance.” The “who we are” is intrinsic and is honest and profound because it emanates from our inner hearts. Since passion also emanates from our inner hearts, and breeds self-fulfillment, wouldn’t be wise for us to follow our hearts when choosing our careers and still be in a position to influence and help others including our own families? Since superiority is the standard for praise and advancement in our education systems, and one’s passion and aptitude is relegated to the bottom of the list, most of us are vulnerable to some extent. For most of us who fail to measure up to the success standards set by our parents, or teachers we turn to alternative role models or gangs whose standards seem more attainable. Instead of encouraging the pursuit of own passion,interests and goals, we are pushed knowingly or unknowingly to select a profession and embark on a career that pays us well or is in conformity with our parents’ desires, but does not stem from our passion. Our career choices tend to be made, not because we have a flair for a particular profession, but because other people, have exerted some compelling pressure on us or opened doors for us in a particular direction. Today young people are often pushed towards careers based on money alone rather than their true purpose and their desire to contribute to society. Deep down their heart they know what their calling is, but they get side-tracked into jobs, careers, duties, roles and pleasing others. Ignoring the fact that work can be the vehicle that we use for discovering and fulfilling our purpose in life The main purpose of this book is to encourage you to pause, and look back and trace your passion ever since you were a little child and use it to create your own personal definition of success. Focus more on personal than competitive superiority. Make changes in the way you perceive yourself, taking into account your intellectual and emotional growth. Use your God given gift and talents to build self confidence and feel more complete as an individual.