Founder series Ep.2 - How to convert passion into reality?

FOUNDER SERIES

Episode 2 - How to convert passion into reality?

Namaskaram everybody! This is Vaibhav(founder), from Piso Skateboards :) How is everybody doing? Welcome back to the founder series. If you have not read the previous articles you can read it here. So in today's topic I am going to deep dive into this trending word called 'Passion'. This is one interesting topic to cover, so lets begin! 

I have been asked this question a lot! That is - ''Vaibhav wow! you converted your passion into work. That's so cool yaar. We are stuck here in corporate stuff doing the same old things again and again. Bored with life, nothing new is happening with us''. And then they ask ''how to find your passion, will you help me find my passion please?''. I find it ridiculous. 

Before I deep dive into this topic let me say this thing, 'SKATEBOARDING IS NOT MY PASSION :)'. When I started skateboarding, I did think it was my passion but later my perspective around it changed (more on this later in the article below). I know a lot of you guys will be surprised to hear this, and that's the reason I have started this founder series. Hoping may be a few of you guys will get what I am trying to convey through this founder series.

Before we proceed, how easy is it really to convert  'Passion' into reality in today's world?:
If I have to answer in one word I would say its close to hell! Its fun though. A whole lot of people have exhausted themselves in this process either physically or mentally. I too was on the same path, but then life happened (more on this topic in the upcoming episodes of Founder series). Just to let you know, starting a company takes a lot. It is not at all the way it is shown on Instagram or portrayed on social media. You are the one who will clean your office floor/toilets and you are the same one who looks after the profits, operations, customer care etc. I will write another article may be some other day on what actually it takes to start a company. 

So yep, it's definitely hard to start a company and that too a skateboarding company! haha don't ask. But why do a few still go on this path, to go off the track and do something different? Why is that few individuals do this willingly.? To such an extent that we are willing to even die for it happily :).
Well to answer this question I would say, It has nothing to do about it being hard or it being easy. This question of hard vs easy comes in the mind of people  because they are focused only on the end result. So naturally the question comes, how hard or easy is it to get there?. It is not about getting somewhere. All that matters is are you having fun?. Are you enjoying the journey, or the process? If you are of a kind, where you are going to enjoy a journey only if it takes you somewhere than I would suggest stay away from this path, it is dangerous. But if you are of a kind where it does not matter where it takes you, you are just happy to walk on this path no matter what then choose this path, It's superr funn!

With Piso, today I plan to run this company so I'm running it. Tomorrow I may not plan to run it and I won't, as simple as that :). It's not about Piso or any passion or business. It's all about the flow and life around me. Flow which you do not know where it leads, you are not actually bothered to be honest on where it'll take you. The flow itself is so amazing that the question of tough and easy doesn't arise.

Even today I always say I never intended to start a skateboarding company. I didn't even intend to share this story. But only because there is so much mess and confusion happening around due to social media influence, I felt I should open up a little & help a few out there. Skateboarding company was just a consequence of something beautiful I was doing unknowingly until I realized it recently(more on this in future episodes). 

So what exactly is this passion? what am I passionate about??:
Yep one day came, when I asked this question to myself. Am I really passionate about skateboarding? Is it really true or am I being influenced by society and my bias towards skateboarding? Everything was going perfectly fine around me, but still there was no fulfillment within me. I knew I was doing something wrong within me and the way I looked at the world. This question/thought was there in my mind for quite a few months, it was troubling me. But then one day I found answers to all my questions. I found the answer in my grandparents :).

Grandparents I feel lived wonderfully well without even coming across such a term called Passion. When I look at them, the way they live with gentleness and love is really something which makes me wonder,  'Wow, I want to live like them'. My grand mom was one wise women. One day when I looked at her with full depth and intensity, only one simple word came into my mind towards her....the word was  'Love'. She used to pour love towards everything around, every activity, every word that she speaks, every meal that she cooks, every sweater/bedsheet she would stitch, every breath that she takes. She was passionate and loving towards everything and not just one thing in her life. She was passionate about life as a whole. I was in tears when I realized this. I looked at myself, what I had done to me in the process of trying to achieve something.

My life was never the same again after that. I realized that I had become so much narrow minded and restricted myself around so many things, be it my passion/ideologies/right/wrong/success/failures etc. It was killing me day by day unknowingly, bit by bit. It was a very hard journey to look at this within me and try to transform and change myself. Today I do not have any passion towards any activity I do. I just make sure, no matter what I do.... I do it with utmost love and willingness. I am relearning how to do tiny little things and activities in life with joy :). It's a journey which I have started, and everyday its turning out more and more beautiful within me. Thank you Aaji for showing me clarity in life (Aaji means Grand mom in marathi)

A lot of people complain about their job life, nothing new is happening. Most of them are just thinking about the next big switch and pay hike. I do understand why this exists in the society. It's because of outside influences, academics, society etc. It's very hard to look at life from a 3rd perspective with clarity when so many things around you are always influencing. We have crippled our life by making conclusions and being rigid around everything.

But let me tell you, no matter what your are doing right now, all it needs is one small change of perception to get all this back. Everything is within us. We are the source for our joy and sorrow. It's not the job, not the relations, not your company nor the materialistic things. It's all us, everything is within you. Yes, its hard and its a long process to relearn everything like a fresh new born baby. I am also in the same relearning process. Things are slowly falling in place and becoming beautiful as days are passing by :).

You do have this choice to see life differently, to be passionate about life :). Do whatever you are doing for your survival, don't leave that, that's not going to solve anything. Just start living a little, be conscious of what's around. Do not take anything for granted (More on this topic in the upcoming episodes). Look at nature, be one with the nature. Spend some time outdoors, appreciate every moment of your aliveness as you are breathing. Spend time with your loved ones. No matter what has happened in the past, every moment is new and live it like a fresh moment. Just this small change will do wonders in your life. 

I don't know how much I have covered about this topic , but did my best to share my views on the word Passion. This was one long article, may be the longest one I have ever written! haha.

Wrap up:
So that's a wrap on today's episode guys & as announced on our social media we are coming with a program especially for teenage kids who are on the verge of loosing their curiosity and hopes from life due to academics and pressure. I hope we are able to contribute and stop a few from not being passionate about life at an early stage. Currently the work is in progress on how to make this happen, few things are looking promising and hopefully news will come out soon. You can follow our pages Pisoskateboards and Pisoworld for more updates on our programs.

We are also working on a skater and artist development program under our Piso World project. In this program we will work on development of a skater/artist, teach him/her necessary and relevant skillset so that they become competent in today's world. Apart from these two programs we have a few other flagship programs, there are programs for Adults too! we will be sharing the details on the same once they become concretized.

Episode No 3 of the founder series will be released next Sunday(4th Aug 2024). To stay updated on our blogs, sign up to our newsletter (Sign up box is on our homepage, at the bottom).

Up Next (releasing on 4th August 2024)
Episode No.3 - Injuries, A Skater's Perspective.

Previous chapters if you haven't read:
Founder series Episode 1 - Why I choose Skateboarding?

Keep pushing.
Vaibhav Rasam

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