The Power of Passion

Photo from Flash Marking.

Shannon O’Dwyer

As American poet Maya Angelou once wrote, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Daily life can be a complete and utter grind, often with little to show at the end of the day. We wake up, go to school or work, complete our daily routine of sitting, standing, listening, and sometimes actually creating something meaningful. So often, however, we go home just to repeat the same day over again. So then, what makes anything meaningful?

Passion is the lifeblood of everything we have ever done and we will ever do. Anything that is not done with passion, we typically only do because we are told to. I can’t remember the last time I sat down and was excited to do an assignment. This is because an assignment is just that: something that is meant to be added to the ‘to-do’ list of things you’ll do once and forget about forever. 

First-Hand Experience

I consider myself an incredibly passionate person; I surround myself with clubs and activities that encompass all that I love. I love a multitude of subjects, making myself well-rounded in my interests, my passion runs deep. 

I have learned at the beginning of high school that there was no point in being involved in something that I wasn’t completely enthralled with. I discovered all of these outlets for my immense passion, peeling back each layer of subjects I loved. I started with school subjects that I enjoyed: history, science, literature, language, art. Although these are standard, I found them incredibly interesting, which motivated me to care about my studies and what I was learning in school. It is one thing to take an interest in something, it is entirely another to be passionate about it. This passion drove me to love learning, despite dealing with some less engaging content. 

From my education, I extrapolated this passion into outside activities. The moment that the stage lights struck my face, I understood that I was meant to perform; this performance was not only in drama/acting, but also with show choir and singing. Any and every type of performance, I fell in love with slowly and then all at once. However, this is not to say that every day was a joyride and all rehearsals were simple and fun—they very much were not. Some were tiresome as we ran and re-ran a scene a hundred times, for it to prove only slightly beneficial; others left me feeling like a poor actor or like I had failed myself and my castmates. But, what kept me from quitting, even during the toughest days, was my passion for performing. Had I simply joined because I wanted to make friends or needed something to do after school, I could have easily left when the going got tough. There is no contract stating that you must stick with something if it causes more pain than pleasure; those who do quit often don’t have enough drive. 

I have never felt unsatisfied at the end of a performance, or the end of the day with engaging content. Passion is what has piloted me to start a fundraiser, become the editor of the Charger Press, perform in 13 shows with the Hamilton Drama department, advocate for environmental and free speech rights, and a plethora more. 

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance- Angela Lee Duckworth

A Passionate Path

Passion can not only fund your public outreach, but it may also inspire you to choose a career you never thought of. A prime illustration of how following your passion can lead to a future career is that of Hamilton Choir teacher, Ms. Sarah Plamann. Before becoming a teacher, she was uncertain as to what she would be studying in college. However, after debate and a sudden moment of realization, she decided to study choral education, focusing on theatre as well. She claims that her students inspire her daily because of, “Their passion and commitment to our art form, their drive to push themselves and each other to be better.” 

Being a naturally passionate person, she claims that:

Life without passion feels empty. It’s like groundhog day over and over again. Passion brings not only joy for what it is, but sheds a new beautiful light on all the OTHER things in your life. It allows you to see things through different lenses and appreciate the not-so-passionate things much more. And through all of that, you end up loving your passions even more. 

However, life is not without battles that can alter your perception of your passion, or even lead you to faltering under the pressure. It is this immense pressure that can lead to a greater success in the end. Mrs. Plamann adds, “The truth is, it needs to be challenging at points. If it’s just easy, how do you know how passionate you really are about it? When things get tough, we tend to give up or take the easy way out. But when it gets tough to follow our heart, that’s when we realize what it means to us…..we push forward and through. And when we reach the other side, the sweetness is so much greater because we understand what we did, what we overcame, and we see where that struggle allowed us to land.” 

Furthermore, she has stood in opposition to the obstacles she has faced in her life. In a brief exclusive experience, she shares how she has prevailed through these challenges by choosing the good.

I’ve been challenged many times in pursuing my passions, and I know I will continue to be. The challenge could be in lack of family/friend support, challenging parents/students/peers, or simply feeling like you’re not reaching the goals you set for yourself. But every time I’ve had those feelings, I look at my students…..I see what they do every day and remember my heart is in the same place. Creating art brings me more joy and fulfillment, and makes me better as a human. So I put my head down, dig deep, and push forward…..for my students, for myself, and for our art.

Reaching Your Passion

To be a person of passion is to expand your interests to encapsulate a multitude of subjects‒whether it be acting, conservation biology, European history, or criminal justice–you are able to become well rounded in your interests. It is finding fulfillment in life rather than settling for the safe and simple choice; it is not so simple to sell out rather than chasing the life that you want to live. Passionate people encourage others to have and find passion, they often run the world. Without passion, life lacks color. This does not mean that choosing a career where you do not have the ability to speak out for what you believe in or choosing a career based on the ‘safer choice’ is a downfall; it means that you should expand your full potential based on what you find most interesting.  

Life is more than completing the bare minimum on any given day; it is more than suffering through a job or a class— it boils down to finding something greater than yourself. Something that you can love and live in, something that you can master the skills of, something that you can be proud of, something that is reflected in moments. It is in these moments that you can allow yourself to breathe and simply enjoy what you’re doing, or rise and push through when it becomes strenuous. That is what passion does for someone. 

I encourage any reader to find something, or multiple things, that you can truly and utterly delve into. Once you find it, you’ll never want to leave.