How I made the right call on passion

Bryan Lee
Bryan Lee
Jul 21, 2017 · 7 min read
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6f/2f/f8/6f2ff8e706234f8cf27035d2d84d3d07--painting-a-bedroom-diy-painting.jpg

15 years ago, I was told that I’d never make it in the art industry.

That’s right, I originally set out to become an artist, not a writer. As a kid, I enjoyed sketching and painting on my tattered sketch book. I was so consumed by my creative hobby that I would overlook my studies (I used to fail Maths) to focus on my craft. Of course, my art works couldn’t hold a candle to an artistic child prodigy, but hey, I was heading somewhere.

It wasn’t until when my dad gave his two cents: “You won’t make it.”

Note: he said it in Mandarin, but for the sake of non-Chinese folks, this is the gist of our conversation. I have a love-hate relationship with reality checks. On the one hand, I’d like to be told if my work is not up to par — I can take it. On the other, I don’t like to be given the brush-off. The patriarch of the family meant well, but I didn’t like where our conversation was heading to.

http://www.quora.com/What-are-some-of-the-best-lines-quoted-from-movies-TV-shows

I didn’t have a comeback at that time. I was, after all, a 7-year-old kid. All I could think of was wishing that I had a bacon ice-cream (mini trivia: they exist) to smash in his face. Now that I’m older, I’m beginning to overcome my bitterness and understand why he made that remark. Like every parent, he wants the best for his kid. Deep down, I think he was going for the Claire Dunphy approach to knock some sense into me:

http://abc.go.com/shows/modern-family/news/updates/140910-modern-family-season-6-fall-2014-premiere-sneak-peek-photos

It worked, to some degree.

Ever since I heard his opinion, I no longer get the tingle of excitement when I see my sketchbook. Let’s face it: I’m weak. But I’m not that weak to deny it. Perhaps, this was the reason why it stayed with me, even as I got older. I got afraid and decided to enrol in a course that would make me more employable after my GCE ‘O’ Levels: a Diploma in Molecular Biotechnology.

JC was not an option, because I didn’t want to tolerate another 3 years of PE. Veterinary Technology, one of the courses I was initially interested in, was out of the question, as I get queasy at the sight of blood — by now you should realise that I have a lot of frustrating quirks. Bizarrely enough, the though of enrolling in Mass Communication never crossed my mind.

Priscilla 0, Brain 1.

My grades were decent enough to secure a scholarship that last for a whole school year. It took a couple of lectures, examinations and lab practicals for me to realise what matters the most. It let me know what I didn’t want. I enjoyed Science when I was a secondary school student. I figured it would be the right move to choose it as a career. Boy, was I wrong.

So, I dropped out.

https://www.facebook.com/skillshare?fref=photo

I’m not proud of what I did. I know that there are a lot of students out there who are vying for a spot in the course; the fact that I would throw it away hastily, along with the scholarship, was selfish. But it was something I had to do. I’d rather be called an egocentric idiot than squander another two years in a course that I no longer look forward to.

I remember vividly when I wanted to quit. I was nearing Year Two in my school’s academic year and I had to prepare a question for an upcoming Q&A session with the other scholarship holders and Lui Tuck Yew, the then Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Defence. I was also juggling several projects and tests at that time. By then, I got really miserable and wanted out.

I was mentally prepared for an interrogation by my parents, but it didn’t happen. When I told them my decision, they gave me a one word reply: Okay. Just like that. It wasn’t an exasperated ‘okay’. It was more like: ‘Okay. We have witnessed this course sucking the life out of you. If you’re really sure, do it. But don’t come back running to us regretting your decision.’

Before I enrolled in polytechnic, I’d heard of students dropping out. I’d thought it was incredibly silly and ignorant on their part. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Who’s the silly one, now?

I had a job as a kindergarten teacher. And guess what, I lasted only 4 hours.

http://www.tophdgallery.com/alternate-ending-how-i-met-your-mother.html

My mum was looking for a new job as a receptionist at a preschool and she thought it would be cool if we were to work together. Side note: it’s never a good idea to work with a family member. I complied, mainly because I haven’t figured what I wanted to do with my life. I had nothing to lose, so why not?

I went down to the office for the interview and was offered a position on the spot. I would be placed under a fully sponsored programme and receive monthly allowances while studying full time. I decided to give it a go, but it didn’t work out. My short stint at the preschool gave me a newfound respect for all teachers.

The main highlight of my stunted experience as a preschool teacher was witnessing a 4-year-old kid trying to compare a chocolate malt powder drink to diarrhoea. I don’t mean to sound crass, but that’s what he said. I’ll never look at Milo the same way again.

I got desperate and went on to Craigslist (as one does).

http://gratisography.com, http://www.isi.net/home/

I was getting restless and knew I had to act fast; or else, I would be stuck in a rut. I popped several visits to online job portals, desperately wishing that there’s a job out there for an untrained 19-year-old kid. I clicked on Craigslist and began studying the list of jobs. I began wondering if they were a legitimate ad or a scam. In the end, I picked a travel writing gig.

I’ve always had a love for the written word, so I taught it was something worth pursuing. I submitted a brief cover letter and several of my English school essays for the hiring manager to assess my writing style. And that was how I got in the writing business.

From that day onwards, my daily tasks involved writing blog posts and proofreading them. I also took the time to improvise my profile on online staffing platforms so as to secure more writing jobs.

I was paid $7 for my first article. Sure, the pay was peanuts, but it certainly beats being cooped up at home with nothing to do. That’s the thing about being the new kid on the block: you have to start from the bottom. Otherwise, you shouldn’t even be in the freelancing business.

I went back to school for a while.

http://www.isi.net/home/

My writing was getting rusty, so I decided to register in a feature writing course to brush up on my skills. Since it was done entirely online, I had ample time to work on my paid assignments. Everything worked out well. My instructor was kind and my clients were accommodating. After I got my diploma and built up a decent portfolio, it felt like I was back on track.

I’m not going to lie, though. My life as a freelance writer has its ups and downs . For instance, I once got roped into working with an unreliable client and was owed quite a sum of money. Despite sending him a dozen of emails, I never got a response. The cretin even had the gall to add me as a connection on LinkedIn!

On the plus side, I’ve learnt a good deal of today’s most in-demand job skills. Freelancing has given me the flexibility and time to further upgrade myself. I’d never thought that I could pick up coding and marketing. When you’re a freelancer constantly on the move, MOOCs is your best friend. It surprises me that I still get a sense of thrill when I see my published works — it never gets old.

Neither of my parents understands my job, and that’s okay. They’re not against it, but they’re not supportive either. That’s their prerogative. What J.K. Rowling said is on point:

http://www.hypable.com/very-good-lives-jk-rowling-quotes/

My passion might change in the future. Who knows, I might switch gears to art 5 years down the road. Or, I might even want to take my book blogging project to the next level. I’m still struggling as a writer, but one thing’s for sure: I’m not ready to give up just yet.

Discover your career here today!

Author: Priscilla Tan

Editor: Bryan Lee

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