Being Passionate – The Power of Sacrifice

Passion is a pre-requisite for success. But then, sacrifice is the bedrock on which passion is based. Devoid of sacrifice, all talk of being passionate is without purpose and directionless. Feeling very strongly or being exceptionally enthusiastic about something denotes passion. But, do we grasp that the word ‘Passion’ itself has its origins in the Latin word ‘Suffering’ and being truly passionate requires giving up something precious and valuable in return ?

26 year old, French photo journalist Camille Lepage’s, quest for truth saw her covering the turmoil and political instability in the Central Republic of Africa. To ensure her coverage was as close to reality as possible, she even travelled with the militia. Her poignant and intense pictures, instantly took one to the heart of the matter, i.e. lives shattered by strife. On May 13^th , 2014 her body was discovered by French peacekeeping troops in the Central Republic of Africa. She was killed during clashes and in-fighting in the very pursuit of her mission.

Narendra Dhabolkar, was a doctor by profession and a social activist, who battled long and hard to eradicate superstition in India. He relentlessly attempted to help people distinguish between blind-faith, exploitative practices and religion .His cold blooded murder, inspired many to carry on fighting for this worthy cause.

They and others of their ilk are heroes who were exceptionally passionate about their purpose and would never compromise even if the hardened, cynical reality of life necessitated the ultimate sacrifice. As we follow our dreams and watch others achieve theirs, let us acknowledge the power of sacrifice.

Of course we all can’t be like Camille Lepage, Narendra Dhabolkar or even Malala Yosofsai but we also have many outstanding examples of individuals who toil daily to follow their dreams. Take Rafael Nadal ,’The King of Clay’, and the current world No. 1 tennis player , for whom the willingness to sacrifice comes from within .He readily and habitually gives up his personal time and leisure in favour of tennis, his passion. Easier said than done for many of us! Nadal understood the power of sacrifice even as an 11 year old child, who loved both soccer and tennis. Due to the limitations of time and energy he gave up his cherished soccer game and the rest as we say is history. Even as a child he could comprehend that to win some, we lose some.

We regularly make declarations of being passionate towards our work, family, social causes etc. However, recognising that it is only genuine and heartfelt sacrifice that begets passion is the first step towards our goals.

Everyone who is passionate sacrifices something -love, money, fame, bonding, time, leisure, health and sometimes even their lives. Always appreciate, never underestimate the relentless individual, because remember his or her success has come at a price. One you may or may not be willing to pay. Passion is not for the weak hearted and the passive. You either give it all you got or step back.