It has often been stated by many researchers as well as inspirational and motivational speakers that to succeed or make a mark in any field, one has to focus on the set objective, work hard, persist, and persevere irrespective of any kind of obstacles that came in the way. One has to have a steely determination and passion to achieve what one’s set out to achieve. On the other hand, there are some who believe that do whatever drives you to work or pursue any chosen activity – be it literary, creative, inventive, sportive, entertaining – and you will eventually achieve it. By pursuing any activity or interest that drives you, you are at least working with all the enthusiasm, dedication, and above all, keeping peace and stability of your mind. And more recently, someone has even stated that you do what you like with full dedication and money will follow, whereas another one has written that you can be an expert in any field after focusing/studying/working in that field for 10,000 hours. Since the later two approaches are still being debated, let’s keep these aside for the moment.

If one integrates the first two points, one can safely state that whatever drives you passionately is all you need to achieve success. However, according to an article published in the August 4th, 2018 issue of the Ottawa Citizen, some researchers are now questioning this long-held belief. According to these researchers of human psychology, many people with passionate drive to achieve their objective give up their pursuit if the going gets tough. Researchers are now suggesting that people should pursue their set goal not only with a passionate drive, but also with an open mind so that when they encounter obstacles or other impediments forcing them to stop their pursuit, they don’t feel discouraged or any sort of personal remorse or embarrassment. They should be open to changing their objective including modifying the initial goal or follow a different goal altogether.

Although I agree with the researchers’ idea to pursue any activity with an open mindset rather than a fixed mindset – the former provides a latitude to adjust or adapt new skills as required by the changing circumstances or environment whereas the latter implies total unwillingness to change. A person with an open mindset is flexible and much more likely to succeed and accomplish his/her goal than his/her counterpart with a fixed or rigid mindset refusing to change skills and/or behaviour with the changing times. Nonetheless, people with either mindset are likely to encounter problems or impediments on their way to achieving their set goals, so much so that a good number may even give up their pursuit. Researchers approve of this approach – giving up one’s pursuit because of some problems or personal inability.

And, that’s where I respectfully disagree with these researchers.

Facing and resolving problems are an essential part of the process to accomplish any worthy goal. A journey on any unknown terrain is always infested with hidden unknowns and a multitude of uncertainties. Giving up the journey just because the terrain is unpaved, rough, bushy, hilly, and has no light, shelter, and guideposts is no bravery. At least some with an open mindset, still passionate about finishing their journey, are likely to wait for the dawn of hope to break and figure out the way to proceed under the sun-lit skies whereas others, especially those with the fixed mindset, are likely to freeze out of self-doubt or fear and ready to give up their pursuit.

In my opinion, there is no gain without pain. When you embark on a totally unknown and untested path, you expect some some tumbles on the way. That’s normal. What good is the passionate drive if you are willing to accept the failure or stop treading the moment the first major hurdle shows its ugly face? At such moments of blockage, discouragement, and helplessness, one needs to muster all the resolve, patience, persistence, perseverance, and above all, need to calm down, and use all the skill set and rational mind to resolve the problem or ride over the hump. Diluting or changing the initially set objective is not the answer; if you believe it’s worth carrying it, then you must pursue it, even if it means riding over one bump after another. Sooner or later you are going to find a paved road with the desired guideposts enabling you to reach your destination. When you reach there, you will simply savor the journey and hardly remember the kind of bumpy walk or ride.

Let me give you my own example. I always dreamed of becoming a well acclaimed and financially successful writer. I started living this dream after working as a paid worker for almost fifty years. I had to wait that long to achieve the financial security and freedom one needs to raise a family including well-educated children who can be proud contributors to the well-being of the society. I published my first fiction (an erotic romance) when I turned 75. Over the next two years, I published two more books – a non-fiction and another fiction. This passionate drive to write continues.

What’s challenging me now is to find a successful marketing strategy because I earnestly want to increase the number of readers/buyers of my books. And I am steadily working on it, experiencing my share of failures. Each and every failure in finding the right strategy isn’t discouraging me to continue with my passion to write. Rather it’s making me stronger and stronger and pushing me to learn more and more about marketing through the social media as well as other sources. I am open to all the learning by reading books, manuals, webinars, corresponding with the experts, and on and on.

My mission is still driving me with an open mindset. ‘It shouldn’t be long’, I keep whispering to myself.

But I promise to inform you all how and when I reach my destination.

Tags Ambition, goal, drive, dedication, hard work, destination, writing, marketing, books