Dreams & Happiness

If you ask the average person in America, they will tell you that they are not happy with their career, family life, ambitions, etc. There is no place that this is most apparent than in the corporate world. Most people who work with me had no idea what our department did in Kaiser before they interviewed. They just wanted a job. They just wanted to use their degree to some benefit. Afterall, how dare they follow their heart? I mean this would require far too many sacrifices to do what you really want. This would require too many uncertainties, and you may never be that wealthy if you follow your God-given dreams. Instead let's do what conventional wisdom tells us - Think small; act small; curb your enthusiasm. At least you won't get hurt this way. At least you can be one of them.

Funny thing about happiness. Some of you say you "love what you do." I'm not trying to come off narrow-minded and judgmental, but I know what you do. You don't love what you do. You really want to know the truth? You stumbled upon something decent. You stumbled upon something that gets you some sort of worldy credibility. You used your degree or whatever education that you have, and it sort of worked itself out. Your job or career gets you by. It's the best you can think of, and it's comfortable. You taught yourself to love what you do. I admire your patience and resolve, but I detest your desire and ambition. You fell in love with plan B. I don't know about you, but plan B will always be a like - not a love. What you do will never be the topic of conversation, but Plan B's get you in the conversation. You can be a part of the lunch table discussions - "Hey did you see that Laker game?" "Hey did you see American Idol?" "My girlfriend flipped out on me last night!" "My boyfriend got me this amazing gift!"

Pathetic.

America told you to become a good employee. It said give everything you can to a company. It told you to never think of yourself as a business, but to find security in someone else's business. They said work your tail off for minimum returns. Work 12 hour days for your 60K (if that). If someone told me 10 years ago that I went to UCLA (one of the best universities and most applied to university in the country) to work a 40 hour a week job, I would have laughed. I would have said forget UCLA! I would have gone to trade school. Thank God for music. Thank God that I use my 40 hour a week job to fund my music. You know what I realized?

Your day job is a resource. Rajeev functions as a business. My day job is 1 way I make money. I know there are plenty of other ways to make money too. So I don't put in my entire life into my day job. Why would I? Any solid businessman will tell you that's stupid. You want to make sure you get maximum returns - so why do you so many of you put in so much for minimum gains?

This entry will cause alot of frustration. I know it. But you're not mad at me. You're mad at the system. You're mad at yourself for allowing this cycle to eat you. You need to flip it. You need to hustle back. You need to allow a God to break the boundaries of your brain. You get 1 chance at this life. Play it to your best ability. Do not let people tell you what to value. Why would you allow a system to tell you what is most precious to you? Why would you endure hardship for nothing? Yes - suffering builds character. But it's your interaction with adversity that makes you into a better person. Adversity in of itself doesn't do anything.

I already know what you're doing - You are thinking of counter-arguments to this. You are reasoning with yourself. You are making yourself feel better, by identifying the holes in my argument. Sometimes, you just have to let it set in. Voices of reason don't help. They just pour water over fire that you needed.

Peace, and much love to you - John Baptist!

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