The Limit of Passion – Whiplash

I’m not here to recount the film (Whiplash), nor everything I saw in it. I’m really after something particular that this film has made me question: the decision that what you do, what you’re passionate about, stands above other aspects that are components of being human (social life, entertainment, love, family, friendship)—and that often, these aren’t known how to be managed.

Sometimes I push to the limit of physical and mental capabilities to achieve the best…

Referring to that renunciation of other areas of life to achieve “perfection,” I believe the best effort is what one makes to achieve impossible dreams—though of course this is subjective, since nothing is impossible, except if you think you’re a singer and are more arrhythmic than my dear friends. That truly is impossible.

But if you have a passion and you like what you do, how far can that devotion or obsession to be the best go? Or well, to be one of the best—where does the limit of sanity and discipline end to transcend the abilities you have? In my opinion, to be the best at what you do:

Sacrifices are necessary, since it’s unavoidable to focus on what we’re passionate about, and of course this implies greater dedication—otherwise we’ll be run-of-the-mill. Working hours regardless of time, even if it means sleeping less, pushing ourselves to the maximum of our capabilities to reach the objective, even when achieving it means going beyond our own principles—in the good sense—without this implying harming other people competing against us, because the respect of being the best won’t be measurable if you sank another to do it, as

Gandhi said: there can be no noble ends if the means are vile.

To be the best doesn’t work being second but first, because after first, everyone else is a loser. Are you a number one or just one more? If you’re passionate about what you do, give everything because you only have one life to do it.

“There are no two words more harmful than good job.”