Next month it is time again for the annual North Sea Jazz festival which will take place in Rotterdam, not too far away from where I live.
The festival will last three days and is the biggest Jazz festival in the world with more than 16 stages and 1000+ musicians. If you, like me, enjoy jazz or jazz related music then this is the place to be.
This year I will attend the festival for the 7th or 8th time and it always fascinates me that most of the jazz musicians, playing at the festival, enjoy themselves so much that playing jazz is more than just a job for them. They are having a blast! Playing jazz is their passion. If they would not get paid for it, they would play anyway. This kind of passion is not only fun to watch but also contagious. After these three days of jazz I always feel energized and regenerated. Ready to face anything!
Not everyone is so lucky to have found their passion in life. In fact most people are struggling with this or not even giving it a single thought. They are stuck in a job that may pay well, but that doesn’t excite them. Thinking this is all life has to offer and looking forward to their retirement or hoping to win the lottery one day.
However, finding out what you passion is should not be that difficult. Everyone has (hidden) talents. Everyone has a passion for something. Finding out what these are is the challenge. The first step of course is to be willing to ask yourself: What are my talents? What is my passion? What gives me energy and excites me? Then ask yourself the question:
What job would I do if money wasn’t the issue?
My experience is that if you ask these simple questions it would open up possibilities never thought of before. As (the lack of) money is usually an excuse to stop pursuing a lifelong dream or passion. Focusing on the desire, as if money is no issue at all, will open up all sorts of new possibilities.
People who found their passion and live accordingly live happier, healthier, more fulfilling and longer lives. Wouldn’t you want this too?
There are plenty of books written on how to find ones passion. But as a good introduction I can recommend The Why Cafe by John Stelecky, which I have reviewed in a previous post.
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The 2009 North Sea Jazz festival will take place 11, 12 & 13 July in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. For further information, please visit the North Sea Jazz website.
