Are You Living Out Your Passion?

August 5, 2022

“To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality.” Anita Roddick

THE VIOLIN PRODIGY STORY

A young violin prodigy was walking down the street one day trying to decide whether or not to pursue a life in music when he came upon the most famous violin teacher in the world. Scarcely believing his luck, he stopped the great teacher and asked if he could play for him, thinking he would abandon his dream of a career in music if the great teacher told him he was wasting his time.

The greater teacher nodded silently for him to begin. So he played, beads of sweat soon appearing on his forehead, and when he finished, he was certain he’d given his finest performance. But the great maestro only shook his head sadly and said, “You lack the fire.”

The young musician was devastated. Nevertheless, he returned home and announced his intention to abandon the violin. Instead, he entered the world of business and turned out to have such a talent for it that in a few short years he found himself richer than he’d ever imagined possible.

Almost a decade later he found himself walking down another street in another city when he happened to spot the great teacher again. He rushed over to him. “I’m so sorry to bother you,” he said, “and I’m sure you don’t remember me, but I stopped you on the street years ago to play my violin for you, and I just want to thank you. Because of your advice, I abandoned my greatest love, the violin, painful as it was, and became a businessman and today enjoy great success, which I owe all to you. But one thing you must tell me: how did you know I didn’t have what it takes? How did you know all those years ago I lacked the fire?”

The great teacher shook his head sadly and said only, “You don’t understand. I tell everyone who plays for me they lack the fire. If you had the fire, you wouldn’t have listened.”

Merriam-Webster defines passion as intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction. Passion is your driving force. It is what gets you out of bed every morning. When you are doing what you love and love what you are doing, you are living out your passion.

At Lynne Mitchell Foundation, we believe that children should not fail in school or in life because of their financial circumstances. This is why we work to support underserved students in Jamaica who have a passion for learning and who work hard to achieve academic and personal excellence. It is our passion to help these students pursue their dreams and live up to their full potential. We are living out our passion. Are you?