m on blog 12; Interests
Most often, people run into the problem of "not knowing what they want to do in life" because they place SO MUCH VALUE on knowing 100% what they want to do in life. Friends , I am sharing the views of a renowned author with whom I got a chance to interact with.
I know this plight well. In college, I went through 4 different majors in 2 years before I found something to settle on—and then what I settled on wasn't even what I ended up getting a job doing. First I studied journalism, then music production, then poetry, then piano performance, until finally deciding to stick with creative writing. And now, I work as an Associate Creative Director at a Think Tank and ad agency in Chicago.
This doesn't mean that I still can't be a poet, or a pianist, or a journalist, or a music producer—I still do all these things in my spare time. On that same note, just because I'm an Associate Creative Director doesn't mean that that's all I am, or that's my end-all. It better not be my end all. That would be a rather short-sighted life.
I used to feel as you do. I used to wake up every day wondering what on earth I should aim towards, and I'd go to bed at night feeling defeated and depressed for not having done "more." It's a rat race that leads nowhere, and is nothing more than "mental masturbation."
So, how do you change this?
You simply "do." In this case, it's sort of the same thing as saying to just "be." Be in the moment. Do what you find interesting—even, or especially, if it seems have no end. I don't write poetry because I think I'm going to become the next Robert Frost. I do it because it helps me clear out my head, release stress, have fun, and it makes me feel good. I make music because it's a game and I enjoy it, not because I want to be the next Mozart or Jay Z. Even the thing I hope to make my life one day, writing, I ultimately do day in and day out because it's fun, it's silly, it's serious, it's engaging, and it makes me feel connected to a part of myself I believe to be an important part of life. I would do it every day regardless if it ever made me a cent or not.
Trust me when I say that you're interested in something. Many things. If you weren't, you wouldn't have made it this far in life. Interest is what keeps us alive—literally and figuratively. Interest keeps us out of trouble—"Oh, interesting; if I touch this flame, I get burned. Better not do that again!" Interest is what pulls us from moment to moment. You're interested in things. The problem is you've forgotten (or are ignoring) your interests because what has taken over is the ridiculous question of, "But what on earth am I INTERESTED IN?!"
Stop asking. Pause. And look around. There's plenty to be interested in.
And once you start, you'll fall right into where you're supposed to be.
Interest and talent as we know them are just acquired personalities. What we normally call as interest, what we normally call as talent, are nothing but acquired states of mind. Born in India there is a great chance that you would be interested in Cricket. Born in Brazil you would not be interested in Cricket. There is nothing special about interest.
Individuality is not about pursuing your interests because your interests are anyway conditioned. Man is physically conditioned to chase women. Women are physically conditioned to be attracted to men.
What is so great about interests?
Lion is interested in flesh, rabbit is interested in grass. You are physically conditioned. Hindus are interested in temples, Muslims are interested in mosques. You are socially conditioned. Born in an actor’s family you are interested in acting. Born in a doctor’s family you are interested in becoming a doctor. So first all of this notion that one must live life according to one’s interest must be dispensed with.
Your interests are just an expression of your conditioning. No regard can be given to your interests. Then comes the issue of talent. What do you mean by talent? In the usual sense in which we use the word ‘talent’, it just refers to a socially approved skill. What is a skill? Something that you acquire through repetitive practice. Whatever gets repeated becomes a skill.
But there is another meaning of the word talent. For that we have to see how it translates in Sanskrit. That is called as ‘Pratibha’. There this word takes an all together different dimension. ‘Pratibha‘ is an entirely different thing.
‘Pratibha‘ is that which arises out of your meditation. That is the definition of ‘Pratibha‘. That is the real meaning of talent. That which arises out of mediation.
Now this is related to individuality. That which arises out of your individuality is talent. Not what you have acquired from society which means that talent cannot be a specific thing. The body is in different conditions. The situation is different outside, is always varying.
The response that arises from your understanding, the action that happens from your your understanding is ‘talent’.
WHAT I BELEIVE :-
Talent is not only the expression, it is also the arrival of the answer. It is not only the fruit, it is also the sprouting of the very plant, fruits come later. So, that is talent. In particular situations there is a deep connectedness from where the response flows. That is the only talent one can have. Everything else is skill. Just give the right name, skill.
Sponsored By KRIPRA ASSOCIATES
I know this plight well. In college, I went through 4 different majors in 2 years before I found something to settle on—and then what I settled on wasn't even what I ended up getting a job doing. First I studied journalism, then music production, then poetry, then piano performance, until finally deciding to stick with creative writing. And now, I work as an Associate Creative Director at a Think Tank and ad agency in Chicago.
This doesn't mean that I still can't be a poet, or a pianist, or a journalist, or a music producer—I still do all these things in my spare time. On that same note, just because I'm an Associate Creative Director doesn't mean that that's all I am, or that's my end-all. It better not be my end all. That would be a rather short-sighted life.
I used to feel as you do. I used to wake up every day wondering what on earth I should aim towards, and I'd go to bed at night feeling defeated and depressed for not having done "more." It's a rat race that leads nowhere, and is nothing more than "mental masturbation."
So, how do you change this?
You simply "do." In this case, it's sort of the same thing as saying to just "be." Be in the moment. Do what you find interesting—even, or especially, if it seems have no end. I don't write poetry because I think I'm going to become the next Robert Frost. I do it because it helps me clear out my head, release stress, have fun, and it makes me feel good. I make music because it's a game and I enjoy it, not because I want to be the next Mozart or Jay Z. Even the thing I hope to make my life one day, writing, I ultimately do day in and day out because it's fun, it's silly, it's serious, it's engaging, and it makes me feel connected to a part of myself I believe to be an important part of life. I would do it every day regardless if it ever made me a cent or not.
Trust me when I say that you're interested in something. Many things. If you weren't, you wouldn't have made it this far in life. Interest is what keeps us alive—literally and figuratively. Interest keeps us out of trouble—"Oh, interesting; if I touch this flame, I get burned. Better not do that again!" Interest is what pulls us from moment to moment. You're interested in things. The problem is you've forgotten (or are ignoring) your interests because what has taken over is the ridiculous question of, "But what on earth am I INTERESTED IN?!"
Stop asking. Pause. And look around. There's plenty to be interested in.
And once you start, you'll fall right into where you're supposed to be.
Interest and talent as we know them are just acquired personalities. What we normally call as interest, what we normally call as talent, are nothing but acquired states of mind. Born in India there is a great chance that you would be interested in Cricket. Born in Brazil you would not be interested in Cricket. There is nothing special about interest.
Individuality is not about pursuing your interests because your interests are anyway conditioned. Man is physically conditioned to chase women. Women are physically conditioned to be attracted to men.
What is so great about interests?
Lion is interested in flesh, rabbit is interested in grass. You are physically conditioned. Hindus are interested in temples, Muslims are interested in mosques. You are socially conditioned. Born in an actor’s family you are interested in acting. Born in a doctor’s family you are interested in becoming a doctor. So first all of this notion that one must live life according to one’s interest must be dispensed with.
Your interests are just an expression of your conditioning. No regard can be given to your interests. Then comes the issue of talent. What do you mean by talent? In the usual sense in which we use the word ‘talent’, it just refers to a socially approved skill. What is a skill? Something that you acquire through repetitive practice. Whatever gets repeated becomes a skill.
But there is another meaning of the word talent. For that we have to see how it translates in Sanskrit. That is called as ‘Pratibha’. There this word takes an all together different dimension. ‘Pratibha‘ is an entirely different thing.
‘Pratibha‘ is that which arises out of your meditation. That is the definition of ‘Pratibha‘. That is the real meaning of talent. That which arises out of mediation.
Now this is related to individuality. That which arises out of your individuality is talent. Not what you have acquired from society which means that talent cannot be a specific thing. The body is in different conditions. The situation is different outside, is always varying.
The response that arises from your understanding, the action that happens from your your understanding is ‘talent’.
WHAT I BELEIVE :-
Talent is not only the expression, it is also the arrival of the answer. It is not only the fruit, it is also the sprouting of the very plant, fruits come later. So, that is talent. In particular situations there is a deep connectedness from where the response flows. That is the only talent one can have. Everything else is skill. Just give the right name, skill.
Sponsored By KRIPRA ASSOCIATES
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