The hardest path is not always the right path

Every now and then I always go through a phase of feeling guilty of pursuing a path I find to be the easiest for me. This led me to realize that the hardest path is not always the right path to follow.Throughout my university career, so far, I have found myself excelling in courses I put the least amount of effort in. That being said, all these courses are my electives, especially the ones involved in the category of art and art history.

I have always found myself wondering whether pursuing a career in the creative industry is just me trying to escape hard work since it comes so easy to me. Courses such as finance and accounting have always been the most torturous ones to go through and I always end up with a shitty mark. In all honesty, despite investing countless hours into the coursework, I recognize I don’t really invest my brain in it. I just can’t.

Whereas, on the other hand, I realize I invest more brain than hours in courses that I really have an interest in. This, in turn, makes me feel like I am cruising through the course, not really putting in a lot of effort. This further leads to me developing this somewhat illusion that I am trying to escape hard work by pursuing a path that seems to be relatively easier. This, I realized today, is not true.

Just because something comes easier to you does not mean pursuing that path is a no no. It is okay to be good at something without feeling like you’re breaking your neck for it. In fact, I believe that should be the path you decide to follow.

Doing something you love will require you to invest both your brain power and time. However, you’ll always feel like you’re cruising because you’ll enjoy the struggle. At least I do. Regardless of the fact that I do spend most of my nights struggling to teach myself new tricks in photoshop and illustrator, which do not always come easily btw, I do not feel like I am dragging myself through hell.

Now, if I were to spend the same brain power and time trying to figure out the NVP of an investment of a firm in a project for my finance assignment, I’d be drained and frustrated by the end of it. So, does that mean I should pursue that path just because it challengestortures my intellect? I don’t think so.

Time and time again, I am getting convinced that we should follow the path that suits our intellect and passion not the one that suits our pocket or the view of our society. Yes, it is a better idea to pursue a path intelligently in order to meet the key elements to your survival, such as having a decent salary, but going beyond that is just not worth it.

I’d rather be earning enough to pay my rent and bills and having a career that quenches my creative and intellectual thirst than having a career that quenches the thirst of my bank account at the expense of my hopes and dreams.

Originally published at www.fatimazehra.me on June 17, 2014.