| This issue isn't as simple as you may think. There are | | | | would argue that your 20s is the time to figure all |
| too many people out there who spend years | | | | that out. I would also say that if by 30 you haven't |
| working on something only to discover too late that | | | | discovered your passions, it becomes awfully hard to |
| it's not what they really love. That's a dangerous | | | | do so. |
| situation to be in because time is one thing you can't | | | | Lots of these indie music artists I know who've given |
| recoup in life. | | | | up did so because they discovered that they weren't |
| I know too many music types who've given up | | | | who they thought they were. They thought they |
| midway through their journey for various reasons. | | | | loved music, but they really didn't. |
| Sometimes it's out of their own control. But many | | | | So how do you know if you really love something? |
| times it just comes down to loss of motivation. Now, | | | | How do you know if you have the passion required |
| even that can be further broken down. There are | | | | to focus on something for years and make a dream |
| many reasons to lose motivation for something. | | | | come true? These are very important questions |
| Some people can't find ways to make enough money | | | | because nothing less than your time is at stake. |
| through music so they give up on it. Others just don't | | | | I'd say there's two things you need to look at. First, |
| feel that their creative work is being appreciated. | | | | the end product of what you do has to give you a |
| But music isn't one monolithic thing. There are so | | | | sense of pride. You don't have to love the process |
| many creative things that can be done within the | | | | of doing something to love the end result. Writing |
| realm of music that a person who's passionate | | | | words on paper is stressful to me. It's not what I |
| enough about music can find a way to make a living | | | | would call fun. But I love a completed article. The end |
| given enough time and effort. | | | | product. I feel proud about the product. I feel proud |
| I thought about all this because I was having a rare | | | | about helping readers through my ideas. I'm |
| conversation last night with a friend of mine who told | | | | passionate about that. Do you feel like that when |
| me that she felt she didn't have a purpose to her life. | | | | you make music? Are you proud to make your fans |
| She wanted goals. I asked her what she feels | | | | happy? It should always be about that, not you. |
| passionate about. She said she didn't know. I said | | | | The second point, which I've found to be true, is |
| how could you not know. She said she just didn't. | | | | that to really be passionate about something, it helps |
| It was a bit hard for me to understand her mindset | | | | if you hate something else. You need enemies |
| because I've always had strong passions and acted | | | | because they keep you emotionally motivated and |
| on them. I love to write, for example. I also love | | | | focused. I hate big soulless, faceless companies like |
| music, I love the Web and I love business. The | | | | Microsoft and Macy's, for example. They represent |
| intersection of all this is this little startup company | | | | the old to me. Their prone to treating customers |
| called MADE. It's the ideas we write about and the | | | | badly because a customer is just a walking wallet to |
| Web apps we're developing (you'll be hearing about | | | | them. I love Google. I love the Web because it is the |
| our up and coming web-based platform that'll let you | | | | antithesis of the Microsofts of the world. I also love it |
| manage your music career soon...). But it occurred to | | | | because its transparency forces businesses to be |
| me that a lot of people, like my friend, don't have | | | | honest and not treat people like scum. Hating old |
| these passions because they don't spend enough | | | | fashioned big corporations (especially grubby major |
| time reflecting on who they really are. | | | | record labels) keeps me passionate about the Web. |
| If you don't understand yourself, then it's nearly | | | | Enemies keep you focused. What are your enemies? |
| impossible to know where you want to go. And I | | | | |