Dear wifey,
I was starting to write simple dear wifey letter. However the topic become too much heavy, so that I will publish this as blog post as well. :p
There two problem relate to human passion. First person who cannot find their passion. Second, person who know his passion but restricted to reach it.
Passion is the most important thing that drive us in life. It is our fuel and also our GPS for direction guidance. According to summary of talk Tim Ferris talk that I took from Arman Sulamanov tumblr, Tim had shared about the way to find our passion. We can find it by ask these two simple questions, what did you do when you were 12 and what would you do event if you weren't paid.
*How to find passion*
Let me remember what I would like to be when I was 12. I don't remember exactly whether it was at 12 but there is one of my child want to be dream. I want to be an astronaut. It was triggered by some astro scince book that I read when I was stay with my uncle during my elementary school time. I read about NASA space shuttle, international space station and US Apollo project, especially Apollo 11. I dream to be the next Neil Armstrong.
As my age increased, sometime our dream and passion also evolved. Evolved because we find something that we interest more or could be also because constraint around us that make we adjust our passion. One day around my high school time, I went to bank to save my small saving. I had small talk with the bank teller. He asked me what major that I plan to take in university. I answered that I haven't think about that yet. The teller reply me again, be a computer programmer, he said. That job currently in high demand so that much company will offers good income. I immediately imaging going to office with nice laptop in my backpack (at that time laptop is something that still super duper luxurious) and spent whole time coding in front of computer. Not long after that I ended up taking electrical engineering major in university. Interestingly, after finishing my study, instead of being electrical engineer or teacher (my degree has minor in Education) I became programmer.
It has been 5 years + I work professionally in that job. Periodically sometime I ask myself, am I drive in correct direction? Everytime I answer myself, should be yes. I enjoy most of the time I work. I like to write code even how dizzy is it. I like to play with software development tools, exploring new technology, learning new programming language and dreaming to build my own startup. Even though it will sound naive, but definitily I can state I will happily coding eventhough I will not get paid. According of previous charateristic description it seems that I already found my passion.
How to adjust passion
Few days back suddenly I found interesting enlightment. Suddenly I want to be a pilot. Pilot is something that quite related to my childhood astronout dream. I understand this might be simple twisted thinking that could be not too serious but also could be serious. That willing is triggered by hackernews link that point me to interesting blog of ex programmer that became bush pilot. Also triggered with GTA V game that I play recently. However this finding arise some interesting discourse.
Some person lucky enough could be anything they want since beginning. They are capable financially to reach their dream. Many people want to be a doctor but only some that could pay the tuition. Many children want to be a pilot but also not all can afford the expenses. Regarding those facts, I found the answer about adjusting passion.
It is never late to chase your dream. Few years back I was listening radio talk in Jakarta that invite interesting guy name Alexander Lay. He had worked in oil and gas company for few years with very descent income. He said that time, his savings will suffice him with very descent life for 7-10 years without working. We could imagine how large his income. However he found that his job is not his passion. He actually interest with law. Then at one point of time he decide to stop from his job and take law under graduate study for some years and became a lawyer. If you cannot afford to be something in past time, chase your passion at the time you can afford it. Like I have written about Matt Dearden, he was programmer but realize that his passion in flying. After have sufficient saving, he stop work and take flying course for few years and start career as commercial pilot.
*Conclusion*
After having some experience in finding our passion in life we should inherit this experience to the others. The closest one could be our children. I haven't had any children yet, but not long from now I want to present one luxury that I don't have when I was child: guidance to find their passion. I want to be a consultant of my children about chasing the dream. I also really want to be supporter of their passion chasing either financially or motivationally. They will be free to chase any of their dream as long as always maintain good deeds in their life. I called this action as cascading the dream. Next generation must be better than current one.
PS: I love you
