Serena Ahmad (9) | STAFF REPORTER
Passion drives us to work towards something because we feel strongly about it. Reason doesn’t influence us in the same way as it’s based on rationality rather than feelings. When determining what career path to follow, it’s easy for us to fluctuate between relying on these two concepts. However, while passion is inspiring, reason follows a more strategic plan that ensures success.
Reason requires more discipline than passion because we are less interested. The career choice would be based on the understanding that a better and more possible opportunity awaits. An example of this is pursuing an occupation in medicine despite not being extremely passionate about it. We are forced to have self-control so we can succeed and reach our desired outcome. Discipline also enables a focused mindset. We are occupied with the bigger picture and turn away from distractions that can hinder our goals.
Our passions don’t always lead to a guaranteed future compared to reason. We often chase dreams that we will never be able to reach by being overly ambitious. This is where reason and rationality come into play. They provide us a limit to how far we can dream before it becomes impossible. Nonetheless, this is not to say you shouldn’t follow your dreams: rather, have dreams that are feasible. For instance, wanting to pursue a job that requires fame yet having no wealth or connections may not be feasible.
Furthermore, selecting a career based on reason rather than passion forces us to be disciplined and guarantees success. Passion can be motivating but it is less likely to yield as stable a result.
