You can fail at what you don’t want so you might as well take a chance on what you love

In a graduation speech Jim Carrey described how his father chose to pursue a career in accounting because it was safe and would bring in money, when he would rather have been doing something else. He was later retrenched from his job and suffered as a result. In telling this story, Jim Carrey pointed out that “you can fail at what you don’t want so you might as well take a chance on what you love”. I found that statement to be so profound.

We all have or had something we are or were passionate about. For some it’s something that immediately came to mind as you read this. For some it could be you’ve forgotten what it was or it’s been stifled by what people have said about it or you’ve buried it so deep you’d rather not even think about it. Whatever the case may be, you owe it yourself to pursue your dream.

This is where the alchemist by Paulo Coelho comes in. In the foreword Paulo Coelho says “What is a personal calling? It is God’s blessing, it is the path that God chose for you here on earth. Whenever we do something that fills us with enthusiasm, we are following our legend. However we don’t all have the courage to follow our own dream.” With that, Paulo goes on to tell a fable about following your dreams. I don’t think there’s anyone who can read this book and not be reminded of what they’re passionate about and choose to pursue it, if not already doing so. If this book doesn’t make you want nothing more than following your dream, then I don’t know what book will.