WHERE LIES YOUR PASSION?

Growing up, every child has a specific dream and passion he crave for. It is the dream of an average secondary school pupil to get admission into the University immediately after graduation. Same dream goes to an undergraduate, he wants to get a good job, and settle down after the successful completion of his studies and service year.
However, many a times, as beautiful and brilliant as all these dreams and passion are, only few get them realized. Only few actualize their plans and eventually Make real their plans. Here in this piece, the focus shall be on young ones in the secondary schools and the junior levels in the tertiary institutions.

In our society today, I’ve come to realize that what you studied in the University is almost of no relevance to the kind of job you eventually do. For instance, you find someone who studied law working in bank and those who studied accounting working in a firm where cement is produced. I’ve seen someone who graduated as an engineering student but is presently a newscaster, there are a lot of mass communication graduates out there teaching YORUBA in one secondary school.

More so, following the examples given above and some others who even completely abandoned whatever they have studied in school to pursue another carreer in life, some conclude that university education is nothing but a total waste of time. Well, I won’t really agree to that though, justice would be done to that conception later on.
I listened to one young man, MAYOWA kolade on Orange FM radio station this afternoon (10-09-18) discussing and sharing his experiences. I’ve always listened to him as a passionate football analyst but today, I got a different aspect of him. According to him, he is a geologist by certificate. He later got a job in bank, that same job brought him to Ondo state, but today he is a successful photographer. He kept his certificate at home.

There are other examples, Funky Akindele, Folarin Falana (Falz) are all law graduates who have found a living in another careers entirely different from what they actually studied in school for years. Now, one may want to ask, why are things happening like this and why are people abandoning whatever they have gone to school to learn for years? Well, the answer is simple, they have different passion.

As a child, I’ve always dreamt of becoming a renowned doctor. This is a mentality I have carried from primary school. This is because I loved the things I heard about them and I once acted as a doctor in one of our dramas back then. (I acted as doctor haruna in the play, “the fatherless child”) This passion although is still alive but I’m a graduate of political science today. Meaning that, I’m yet to be on that path I had dreamt to be as a child.

Many people are lost in the world today because of that thing they have passion for is not coming their ways. Many loose focus along the line while some never even make it happen in the end. Only few eventually get there no matter what. When things like this happen, many questions come to mind. What are the reasons people choose the wrong careers in life?

In my journey through life, I’ve heard many reasons from many people. Societal pressure, parental pressure, peer group influence, low self esteem, lack of focus and determination among others. Some would even attribute it to the death of their benefactors. Of a truth, all these excuses are genuine and very correct.

But while listening to Mr MAYOWA Kolade this afternoon, I got to have a different view. The bases of all these is lack of proper GUIDIANCE AND COUNCELLING. Yes, that’s right. I’ve come realize that all the excuses and reasons given are just as a result of lack of proper GUIDIANCE and COUNCELLING. Had many Young Minds been properly guided and counselled early in life, it wouldnt have taken them so long to realize what they have passion for.

Many so called lucrative jobs or professional courses are loosing their relevance today not because they are no longer lucrative. I have found out that among many other things, the major reason for this is because many people are in these professions without passion. For instance, many are lawyers, doctors, journalists, bankers, accountants today just for the pay. This is why when you seem persons handle some jobs, you will conclude they are not different from a mediocre.

A friend of mine joked with me one day that those who have passion for schooling are really not in school. I didn’t understand what he meant until I got to the senior class as an undergraduate. When you begin to examine the kinds of lives your colleagues in class live, their attitude to classes and assignments, you cannot agree with him less. You see students not giving a damn about their primary assignments.

Of a truth, many of them are not wayward. Many of them are pursuing their passions, some would have dropped out of school, but for what people will say, they are moving on with it despite not having passion for it. I know of a friend studying law but his passion is in fashion and designing. Some are studying English language when there passion is youruba studies.

Now, as much as I feel for those of us in this category, I feel it will be unfair for any of us to say university or tertiary education is a scam, a waste of time or absolutely unneeded. Let me state categorically at this point that even if you’re to be a farmer, and you’re in the University studying engineering, it is never a waste of time. Can’t you be creative? Don’t you think as a graduate, the way you will address your customers and package your fashion works will definitely bring you to limelight? Don’t you think that it is an opportunity for you to meet enough of people who help you actualize your dreams?

Someone would refer to some top businessmen and women, some top singers, politicians and powerful people in the world, they will remind you Mark Zuckerberg is a drop out, but they won’t add that he dropped out for something better that he believed in. Some are even thinking Dangote did not go to school. Some hold a believe that you don’t have to go to school to be successful, yes I agree with you. But in a 21st century that we are, you need to learn some skills which can only be gotten in a schools, tertiary institutions.

For instance, you learn how to do things on your own without much or no supervision. This will later in life be a vital tool that will help you sharpen your life.
You also learn human relations. Dear friend, no matter how talented you are, you need people around you to make you relevant. So, your relationship with them go a long way. You will agree with me that university is on of the most complex aspect of humanity. There, you learn to cope and relate with humans from divers background and cultural beliefs. You cannot learn this anywhere else.

In the light of this, let it be clear in your mind and thought that formal education is never a confirmation of success, neither is it a waste of time. It should also be borne in mind that being in school studying what is not your passion is not an excuse not to do well. You can always pursue your passion as long as you’re consistent.

Above all, learn to Identify your passion early in life as an individual. When you do this, it becomes easier to plan through. It will shock you know that many undergraduates even graduates still don’t know what is next after what.

Don’t also do things because your friends are doing them. Ask yourself some critical questions. What will this thing add to me and my passion? Also, parents should lessen the way they force their wards to study or not a particular course. Let them choose which career appeals to them, then guide them.

Teachers in school too must do more to encourage the young ones to understand the meaning of passion in whatever they do. Schools should not only focus on class works, they should have extra curricular activities. This idea of holiday coaching to me should even be for something different from going to classes since that’s what they have been doing all through the year. Why not use it to learn a skill? In fact, any Secondary school that starts that will get more recognition, attention and even pupils.

Above all, having proper GUIDIANCE early enough go a long way in helping to sharpen your life. that is the only way to help nurture your passion.

Renowned Public speaker
Name: Lai-morakinyo Julius
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