Michael Bains - Pursuing your Passion
Author of Hooped
Pursue Your Passion
All of us have a natural inclination where we have some talent, or more importantly – passion. Something that we are drawn to. Something that we wished we could do if only we had more time, money, or direction. Very few of us will try though. And those who try will eventually find an excuse to stop. But there are always exceptions. And these are the ones who continue with sustained effort and unwavering faith. They don’t do it to be successful, because outward success can never be assured in anything. They do it because they can’t not do it. They realize that if they want to experience life in its purest form, doing what they love can transport them to that realm.
You may fail to sell copies or become famous but you cannot fail in creation if the priority is the process. The true artist is not influenced by results. The true artist creates art – unapologetically. The more you cling to your art, the more open you become to being hurt by it. Once you finish a piece, put it aside and begin to work on the next.
We all have an innate passion or talent, but it gets lost somewhere along the way. To rediscover that passion is I think the greatest blessing. The curse is the untapped potential that we never get to realize.
I truly believe when you put your entire heart into something, failure is not possible. Fear and doubt are the constant companions of failure, so keep your energy pure, your head down, and focus on the step at hand. When you’re sincere in what you do, life will bless you for it.
Hooped Review
I wrote Hooped because I knew there was a story to tell. Although the book has its roots in the East-Indian community, the internal struggle is universal.
My goal with Hooped was for it to come across as being a sincere reflection of what it's like to grow up in Surrey. But more than that, I wanted to use the writing process to explore questions I had in my own life. Such as the root causes of substance abuse, the disconnect that teenagers feel with the education system, and why we don't live up to our full potential. Hooped goes beyond the surface level and explores the fundamental reasons behind our actions.
