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I'm curious - how many people have only one passion?

I remember that when I was a kid, I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer. Then I wanted to be a naval architect. (Well, technically I didn't know the names for either of those, I just knew I wanted to design planes and ships.) I played violin and clarinet, I wanted to be in a rock band, I liked computer programming, I fancied myself a novelist (even though I hated writing), I wanted to be a famous theoretical physicist, and I was going to make a few million dollars founding a software startup.

I ended up a computer programmer, because that was the optimal intersection between what I wanted to be and what other people would pay for. Although that software startup may yet happen.

But I continued - and sometimes still continue - the other things quite far along. I made All-State Orchestra in violin, and continued to play throughout college, and still occasionally pick it up. I nearly ended up a physics major; I didn't switch away from it until my last semester. Now that I have no immediate plans to become a writer, writing is kinda fun.

Is this unusual? Do people get "stuck" on one dream and then ignore everything else that they might enjoy?



I have different goals/passions that don't seem to relate: programming, fitness, speaking different languages.

Often, my greatest anxiety episodes arise from thinking of how I can balance these, and have a social life and do the laundry at the same time.

I find articles like these great, because they get me just that one step closer to learning this how to figure it all out.


Your story is very similar to mine. Except instead of music I was interested in film and comedy.




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