Wednesday, August 16, 2006

One's calling

I spoke to a friend of mine this week. She had just quit her job. What is so special about this person? Well, she quit her job to pursue her passion- singing. For years now, she has been trying hard to make a break into the film world. Her progress has been slow, nothing spectacular to speak about. But she hung in there. Guess her perseverance has finally paid off. She has got a couple of breaks and, soon starting next month, we would get to hear her singing with prominent playback singers. Things are now happenning for her and that too in quick succession. Guess, if we hang in there long enough and hard enough, our dreams might just come true. One never knows.

As I settle into a mundane routine, any change small or big is welcome and is eagerly awaited. Change, I've realised has to be brought into existence. Sitting around hoping that I would be able to read a book a month,or learn an instrument or a new subject is wishful thinking. 'Proactive', thats the word.

In the context of 'proactive', 'change' and 'quitting jobs', I have been thinking, if there is something out there or in me, that would make me quit my job and get me out of the current comfort zone. I have not been able to think of any for now. Yes of course I plan to fight (and am doing a little now )against corruption and for preservation of environment and a few more social causes, but I guess I have not found my calling yet. I would not hesitate to quit, I am sure , but for what cause?
It would be nice to hear some views/ideas/opinions on this.

'It is such a nice feeling when good things happen to good people.'

5 comments:

consumerdemon said...

Ditto.
Though I think I would be too chicken to not have a job... Don't know. I need my material comforts. it should be possible to do something you want to and make it pay.

musafir said...

Ok, a few questions.

1) What if there were no environment to save? What if there was no corruption to be fought against? What if one could sing and there were no films, no audience to sing to?

2) Why should one find one's calling?

And I'm seeking answers, not trying to prove anything.

Ravi Kaushik said...

Well why should you have to quit your job to fight for a cause? Doesn't your company and your position give you a level of credibility and certain amount of power in dealing with issues as opposed to if you take them up single handedly?

lucky said...

meera: understand that.true.

Musafir: Not everything one does needs an audience which is external. Not everything one does is for others to see/hear.

Calling need not also be something which is not your 'normal - bread earning' routine. One's calling can be achieving perfection in designing a machine. One's calling can be bettering his own achievements, year on year.

One need not have a calling at all and even if he has one need not find it. But for those who feel there is something beyond what they are doing presently, 'calling' is that which keeps them in a state of flux.

Ravi kaushik: No one does not need to quit the job. But what if he realises that his pleasure and satisfaction is in doing something else and not his normal job? what if he wants to dedicate a disproportipnate time to a cause and his normal job is a hindrance. I am not specific abt. corruption or environment, but in general 'calling' which could be singing, painting, deep sea diving, para sailing.. who knows.

Unknown said...

CD- People quit their day jobs to work for NGOs every day. It pays pretty horribly, but you could always supplement that income with some freelancing- write, take tuitions, whatever. And I know people who work full-time at NGOs, and still manage to work a full-time salaried position in profit-making ventures. And some NGOs pays really well. So in case your calling turns out to be fighting for a particular cause- you can still do it and make a living.

Anyway, Ravi, the cause you talk about needs to be something you're incredibly passionate about, especially since you will have to work at it twice as hard as you do now, see twice as much failure as you do now, and keep going at it nonetheless.

Equal rights is my pet cause for the moment, but I don't know. I'm sure there's a bigger fight waiting for me.