Passion vs Obsession

The two are not the same!

Last week, we discussed the importance of finding the things you are obsessed with in your life. Only through obsession will you find the intrinsic motivation to take the path I call Against the Grain and pursue those things in life that give you goosebumps. We discussed forgetting about balance and embracing obsession in the early years of creating the life you wish to live.

This week, I'm hitting the same nail on the head because it is critical for anyone hoping to live an authentic life filled with personal Freedom.

Please watch the following video to help solidify this truth in your mind.

Too many people think it’s enough to be only passionate about following your dreams.

I’m here to tell you that “follow your passion” and similar terms are bullshit.

Why?

Because passion is fleeting, one week, you can be passionate about getting up at 4:00 am to start your day with a workout. Four weeks into your "passion," you aren't seeing results and are sore as hell, so you simply quit the early morning workouts.

You need to "follow your Purpose," which will not change from week to week.

There are many "tools" like Ikigai diagrams to help you find your Purpose, but I believe most people need to follow the things they are obsessed with.

Most people already have an obsession but don't know it. Look at their Google search history, magazine subscriptions, and book reading habits.

Obsession begins with curiosity. Follow your curiosity and see where it leads. If you put in the work and stay on the path, at some point, this curiosity will turn into an obsession.

You must go insanely all in on your obsession. When you do, amazing things can happen.

But what does the phrase "all in" actually mean?

Here’s what going all in has meant to me:

· Working 12 hours a day on my obsession

· Saying no to almost all social events (and pissing off my ex-wife and friends)

· Saving and investing almost every cent I had into my obsession

· Not looking at my phone for days and weeks

· Using weekends to build instead of taking it easy

· Embracing loneliness

You are going to feel overwhelmed. You will certainly feel the burnout.

The truth you must embrace is that success lies on the other side of being overwhelmed.

Accept this fact or stay on the comfortable path Society has created for you.

You’ll know you’re obsessed when you lie awake at night because your brain wants you to keep working on your obsession. You’ll wake up at 2:00 am and have to add some notes to your phone.

The reward for obsession is growth: growth in skill and growth in knowledge.

Skill and knowledge almost always lead to wealth.

Let that fact sit in.

Become a maniac. Relentlessly keep going. The Freedom that follows is incredible.

I wrote Against the Grain: Ditch the American Dream and Build Your Own! to show you how to plot an alternate route to Society's Path and provide instructions for breaking out of Society's Box.

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Until next week, remember the function of Freedom is to free someone else!