January 7th, 2025

Correct me if I’m wrong, but we call passion those things that make us feel alive. They give positive emotions, especially in the first moments when we give ourselves to them.

Someone who doesn’t know me is to think I’m passionate about cooking when they see me in the kitchen. The truth is, I used to believe that it was the only thing I was born for. Over time, I realized it was more of a survival instinct. It placed me in that position. Rightly so. The restaurant industry was my salvation from my illegal status; it was my main source of food, money, and sustenance. It was the lemon life handed me. So, every cell of my body told me I was born for it. In that moment, nothing else mattered. I was deep into it. And I loved it. Rightly so.

Can I talk of passion without choice?

I will use the word passion only if I had other options and chose this path specifically. In fact, it was the logical thing to do at the time. At one point, washing dishes was one of the best things I have done in my life. I mean that in every sense of the word. This is true for many aspects of life, if we stop to think about it. We often call passion what life forces us into. Sometimes, we don’t want to look at other things that genuinely interest us. We let those interests die in the corner.

At a certain point in the restaurant industry, I became a little more settled. I also prepared for the worst-case scenario. At that moment, my mind shifted to familiar yet unproductive distractions—anime, social media like Instagram, gossip, binge-eating, lust, and porn. I got stuck again. I stopped moving ahead.

This is the reason why I agree with Ray Dalio’s principle : “Evolve or die”. You have to push yourself. You have to push your limits. But you must not break yourself.

Indeed at times you have to be harsh on yourself, as the stoic will say .