What's keeping you from pursuing your passion?

Life.

Finance is the problem. If money wasn’t the issue, we’d all be free to follow our dreams.

Oh Jake, If you figure it out for me on this thread, I am indebted forever.

I hate to admit this because I’ve always been rather ambitious, but recently it would be my lack of motivation. Certain circumstances have left me a bit down and uninspired and indifferent and finance is kind of a problem, too, but I’m slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things and changing my perspective on the circumstances I can’t change.

Oh, I’ve wanted to learn how to play the harp for the longest time, but I don’t have enough money or free time to pursue that dream.

And I’m afraid that I’d be laughably bad at it. . .

Exciting question. Boring answer. Money.

Mostly money. I want to do woodworking (high end cabinetry) and I finally have a large workshop. But it is taking a long time to slowly buy the tools.

Not a thing, she loves being chased :-/

Well, I have a lot of passions. One I am lucky enough to call my full-time job. Being the CM here is mad sexy, you know. ~ That one kind of interferes with the others, though. Between that and my three kids, time is a major factor. Beyond that issue there is too little money, too little motivation, and too much physical pain. <That last keeps me from doing a ton of everyday stuff, let alone passion-pursuing. So, it’s complicated.

I wanted to be an underwater oceanographer but found out my ears are not built for the constant equalization required for diving. The bleeding is quite painful and prevents me from doing much more than the occasional recreational dive.

Nothing! I’m pursuing my passion and enjoying the process for the most part. Sometimes I’m overcome by fear, but I plough on nonetheless.

I’m not sure I could handle coming back home to say I wasn’t good enough.

I already follow both of my passions. Music and art.

Decency Laws.

$$$

cash rules everything around me.

This…

Nothing except my age and physical condition.

BTW… for those of you who think that money is the answer, or even that it’s AN answer… even if you get it, it can’t hold you at night and tell you what a wonderful person you are. Money can’t climb onto your lap and smile away your cares. Money can’t give you anything that isn’t going to wear out, rust away, get stolen, get lost, or eventually bore you. Yes, if you don’t have “enough,” it’s difficult, and sometimes it seems as though it’s THE answer to your problems, but believing that is a trap. It’s a never-ending process of acquisition that leaves you empty and only wanting “more.”

Nothing, I do it everyday. My only problem now is that I am waiting for parts for my bike, the last crash was expensive.

(Trek bikes are tough but not indestructible.)

I enjoy cooking a lot like A LOT but its too hot and humid in my country to go into the kitchen:(

Another thing that stops me pursuing my passion is she’s married…. but not to me

The $$$$$$$$$$$. (isn’t that everyone’s reason?)

I follow my passions as well.
I write and have about 10 pieces out there now. I do go through procrastination phases though, and have to work on my self discipline at times. This year has been one of those cycles. haha

@Bill_Lumbergh

Nope.

@Cruiser Itchin to find some real jellies I see. : )

@CaptainHarley I don’t think money brings happiness.
But i know I’m a full time student in college to get a job that pays me more than my two, occassionsally three dead end jobs do now to make rent and pay bills- so therefore , I can not readily devote all my time and effort into becoming one of the first women’s olympic boxing competitors….because I’ve got bills to pay, and that’s life.

I know money isn’t everything

Mediocrity of my abilities for my passion coupled with mortgage payments

@RareDenver That was brutal. Lol.

Only money. If I had means to support myself and contribute to others while not working then I could travel and do the artwork I love.

Money has come up over and over in this thread, but I’m not convinced. I have an acquaintance who has enough money and then some, but he holds himself back from doing what he really loves because he’s been taught that playing music isn’t a “real” job. He believes it’s frivolous.

I’m just curious if anyone else feels this way, too.

There are many things that can keep a person from following their passion than money.

Nothing. I’m pursuing it right now.

This will probably change in the future…

@Hawaii_Jake

I agree 100%...money helps when one does not have to worry about basic survival needs all the time and the loss of creative energy that can be usurped by survival needs, but….99% of what holds people back is themselves and their own fears, programming, inertia.

I was in a really good financial place a few years ago, not anymore, I have plenty of anxiety about my financial future, however, funny thing is, I have written MORE this year than the previous 5 combined. Go figure!

I’m following it, but I’m broke…

Right now I’m at the very beginning of my career. It would be nice to have a better-paying job with more responsibility in this field. And to maybe own my own business one day. So it’s going to take patience, careful saving, more education and lots of hard work.

The business I would open would be a coffeehouse/ wine bar.

@Haleth Wow. Coffehouse/wine bar. Very nice. Got a name yet? : )

Responsibilities.

Yes, fear that it won’t work out and my efforts will be wasted. Also, money is a worry.

@CaptainHarley No, it can’t do any of those things, but it will keep you fed and out of the poorhouse.

Well money is one reason, but the main reason is “I’m my own worst enemy”

@lonelydragon

Money is what we call a “dissatisfier,” when you don’t have enough of it, you’re motivated to earn enough, but as you pass the point where money begins to accumulate, it no longer satisfies… unless of course you are one of those few twisted people who use money to keep ” score.” It’s kinda like a pecker contest, to see who has the most.

@mazingerz88 Ya don’t need to deep sea dive to find them as most are near the surface. I will never forget out on my mile swim and swam right into a swarm of thousands of golf ball sized jellies….seemed like forever to swim my way out of them and the hundreds of stings I got was very unfun.

@Cruiser Golfball jellies rule the seas! Lol.

@Cruiser

You’re lucky. It’s my understanding that the stings are cumulative!

My job takes up 95% of my time and 110% of my energy, but if it wasn’t for that, I am tied to obligations for the time being. Once those obligations are met (hopefully in April), I’ll be able to decide for the sake of deciding what I want to do, instead of doing what I’m doing because I’m trapped.

I might end up doing the same job, but it will then be my choice to do so. My passions have been put on hold mostly because of time—Money isn’t an issue because one of my passions is upcycled art, which really doesn’t cost much :)

@Blondesjon You mean having a bad internet connection is keeping you from your passion. right? =)

Location and money for a kick ass camera.

My passion is landscape photography, hiking and exploring the wilderness. Whitewater rafting included.

A combination of money and lack of talent, in most cases.

As most have alluded to, it is money. If you had enough money that you earned more while you were sleeping, that you could spend while you were awake. You could do whatever you wanted so long as your health was with you. When you have a care note, mortgage, utilities to worry about etc, if you are like most you don’t have time. You are too busy trading sweat for bucks. If you could handle all your day to day with as much effort as taking out the trash, nothing would stand in your way.

@mazingerz88 No idea right now, even though I’ve imagined up all the other specifics from the menu and the interior design, to more everyday things like inventory and training. All the wine bars around my area have wine-themed names, and there’s a wine/coffee place called Grape and Bean, I think. Ugh, it’s so hard to think of something that’s evocative and delicious.

It’s very easy to say money isn’t all that important when you have money.

Are you held back by the fear of failure?
– Yes, because I’ve already tried many times and failed. So maybe that’s faith in failure..

Do you believe that you have to be as successful as the greatest in your field to make it worth your while?
– Sadly yes, and that person is too far ahead and by me not persisting in my pursuit of the goal and wasting the last 10 years of my life, it feels like it’s simply too late…

What would it take for us to each shed our inhibitions and start living our dreams?
– It would take me deciding that I am willing to try to do the incredible seemingly impossible amount of work I would need to do and would take me laying down everything in my life that takes me away from doing that work.

@t_p : Welcome to Fluther. I hope you find the strength to follow your passion.