Ramblin’ about Following Your Passion
I’m sad to report that Damian and I are growing more cynical as the years go by. We’re finding out that the world is actually worse than what the most cynical person might think. Sure, there are good exceptions to the rule, but for the most part there is a lot of negativity to cut through.
I feel like reading the Book of Ecclesiastes right about now….
Anyway, I could write a book about big lies, speaking of books. Where do I begin?
You know, the founder of LinkedIn recently tackled the big lie of “Following your passions and dreams.” He was basically saying that doing that is only half the equation; he stressed focusing on what you were doing, and “Becoming” your passion.
So, in other words, you have to deal with the reality around you. Take Steve Jobs: if he was born in 1835, I’m sure he would have followed his passion, but he would not have invented the iPhone on the prairie.
Or, to put it another way, I might have a passion for making discoveries in-person on the moon Europa, but I’m born about 1,000 years too early to be able to do anything about it.
Look at Chinese Democracy, the album by Guns n’ Roses. Axl Rose poured his passion into that album, and I truly love the album. Unfortunately, I’m one of the few people who really appreciated his effort.
When artists make a project incredibly personal, those projects are difficult to find an audience for.
Look at Stan Lee: of all the characters he created, the one he felt closest to was the Silver Surfer. I’m not saying the Silver Surfer is not popular, but he was not a smashing success like Spiderman.
So, you have to dial down the passion to have any shot at commercial success. Or, follow your passion and get ready for the criticism and cult-following small audiences.
M. Night Shyamalan is a good example of this. He truly follows his passion and does what he wants on his movies, and guess what? A lot of critics rip him for it. I guess they’re jealous that he has creative freedom? Unfortunately, the constant drumbeat against M. Night has hurt his box office over the years.
Here’s a related thought: have you ever heard a musician say, “I’m surprised that song I wrote became a smash hit.” It’s usually a throw-away song that they didn’t think very highly of, and it ends up clicking with a mass audience.
It’s like with George Lucas, who to this day claims Star Wars is a side-project for him, and he’d rather be doing historical documentaries. Star Wars was not his passion, according to him, and yet it’s a big reason for his riches.
Steven Spielberg has managed to walk the tightrope, producing box office hits and critically-acclaimed films over the years. Some artists do manage to get the best of both worlds. He’s definitely an exception to this rule.
Anyway. I’m just rambling’ here. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments. Just sharing some reflections from a recent podcast here.
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