Life is too long to just do one thing

Dear Swastika,
I am in my mid 20s, and I haven’t yet figured out that one career I want to pursue in life. To be honest, I don’t want to contain myself in one profession. I want to do many things; I want to BE many things. I would like to become a teacher, indulge in a bit of painting, invest in a venture, and even work for a PR firm. My family and friends think this is unattainable, and I have my own doubts, too. What should I do? Isn’t life too short to do just one thing? Or does being Jack-of-all-trades mean wasting time?
Confused

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the venture you started were a painting gallery where you mostly worked as the PR person but every now and then also ran some painting classes for beginners while creating some of your own paintings? See any possibility there? Or you could work for a PR firm or start your own firm and then take classes at a management college on PR while painting at your free time. Maybe instead of picking a career, what you need is a job that allows you to do all these different things.

It is possible to BE many things. It is possible to design your life as a salad or turn it into a mixed soup. Soup is like a job that allows you to do many things that interest you. Salad is like you have a combination of multiple big and small engagements that make your life fulfilling. Either way, the trick is to decide what the most important element is for you. What is the predominant flavor going to be? Is it pumpkin, potato, or tomato that your soup will be based on? Is it the papaya or lettuce that’s going to be the dominant part of the salad mix? You can then add different components to garnish your salad or your soup. But then, when there is something that simply doesn’t go along, something that is just going to spoil the blend of your soup or salad, then you have to make a different side dish out of it. Trick of the life is to decide, what is going to be your main course and what is going to be the side dish.

It’s not that life is too short to just do one thing. Life is too long to just do one thing. Keep walking and you’ll realize that at every turn and every corner, life will offer an opportunity to be something new, a new spice to add on your soup, a new delight to sprinkle on your salad. Make as many side dishes as you can possibly handle. Remember, you will not have everything you want at the same time and not everything life offers will be of use to you. Pick and choose and sequence your life to make your perfect blend of salad or soup. With some smart decision and some creative ones, you can make sure that life is not all plain pumpkin soup.

Dear Swastika,
I’m an MBA student. I’m doing well academically, but what bothers me is that I haven’t yet pursued any hobby seriously. I love football, as do most men, but I don’t keep up with the updates and don’t really know clubs and players that well except for the most popular ones. I have some interest in music, but again, I only listen to those that are trending currently. So I don’t really have much to talk about. You know what I mean? My sister is a bookaholic and she has amazing things to talk about with other people who love reading. I, on the other hand, don’t have much to say even with football enthusiasts or music lovers; I try to update myself, but I find it really tiring, and besides, I have other important things to do. They say pursuing at least one hobby seriously is really important. What do you think?
PG

Maybe you should hang out with the MBA nerds (just kidding). But you are hilarious. Even when thinking about hobbies, you are thinking about “reading” on football clubs and updates or “listening and learning” about music. Have you considered playing football or playing music? You are a pukka nerd!

I do believe that having a hobby saves your life. It is not just about having something to talk to people about. It is about having something that you can resort to if there is a time in life when the monotony of your professional life begins to stifle you. It is about having something that keeps you connected to your inner core. Hobby is a pursuit that brings out a smile from the very depths of your heart. If profession appeals to your head, hobby appeals to your heart or vice versa. It allows you to maintain a head and heart balance in your life.

However, the way you are approaching hobby is as if you just want a tool to connect to people and have something to talk about. You’re putting effort in learning about music and football so you can have something to talk about to people. You’re seeking fulfillment in relationships within your existing circle of friends. You’re not yet thinking about new circle of friends you’ll make when you pursue a new hobby. You’re not thinking about the joy that a hobby like running or cycling can bring in your life even when there will be nothing much you can talk to people about.

The idea of a hobby is not to tire you but to fill you with life and energy. What you don’t want is something that makes you feel overwhelmed. It is something that you can’t get enough of. If you’re trying too hard, it is not a hobby but it is desperation. My advice, hang out with people with whom you share your interest, so that you don’t have to tire yourself trying to impress. Alternatively, just hang out with friends who accept you the way you are so you can just chill, listen and laugh. A circle of friends always has at least one person who listens.

Additionally, for your personal fulfillment, pick up something that connects you to your core.

Swastika Shrestha is the co-founder and head of training and support at Teach for Nepal. She has several years of experience training and mentoring youth leaders. She can be reached at swastika@teachfornepal.org.