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SFC Chad Sowash
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I think the statement "passion does not equal ability" speaks volumes. Understanding one's self is paramount to finding something to be passionate about. At the age of 17 I would have never forecasted the path I walked, although very early on I started understanding my strengths and took advantage of them.
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COL Vincent Stoneking
COL Vincent Stoneking
8 y
I wish I had heard (or been willing to accept, if heard) Mr. Rowe's advice when I was younger. I would have saved several years of effort and several tens of thousands of dollars in chasing rainbow unicorns. I could have redirected all that effort and angst into things that mattered.

It is all well and good to chase your dreams/passions, even in the face of long odds. But only in the sober acknowledgement of what those long odds are.

In related news, my Muay Thai gym is just over one month old today!!! (Long time dream/passion, finally a time when it makes sense to execute)
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Alan K.
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I must be an anomaly I love wood, cars and boats and restore them for a living! Love it! May not be good as a blanket statement?
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LT John Chang
LT John Chang
8 y
Alan, I had the same misunderstanding - what Mike is not saying is to be passion-less. He loves what he does, but he wanted to be a carpenter when he was younger. I share more in my article above.
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Alan K.
Alan K.
8 y
LT John Chang - I am not sure I understand what I misunderstood...Let me rephrase that. When I was young I loved working on cars looking at cars, started going to the auto show @ 8 years old. Thought the '67 Eldorado was the most beautiful car I had ever seen. Old boats, you can multiply that by ten! I was always the "go to" fix it/carpenter from the age of 12. I am still doing it, only now I'm really good at it! So I have always made a living @ what I love to do...
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LT John Chang
LT John Chang
8 y
Alan K. - People interpret Mike Rowe as literally saying not to do things you're passionate about. Like me, he's really saying that the "follow your passion" advice is dangerous, because too often people interpret that as an excuse not to worry about making a living.

If you find something you love and people pay good money for, great! You're done, or at least keep going. But this video is really for the rest of us still working on it. Mike Rowe is just saying take care of business, while you're figuring out what's your passion.
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Alan K.
Alan K.
8 y
LT John Chang - I always believed strongly in "make the money when you can" bread on the table is always first along with roof over your head. I always had a back up plan as a subcontractor for a delivery company....again driving!
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LT John Chang
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Great share! Because the way it sounds, people misunderstand what Mike Rowe is actually saying. But at least it wakes people up from the "follow your passion" sleepwalk that many are doing. Here's an article I wrote sharing my take -
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