As some of you already know, I played classical piano from the age of 4 for 15 years in Korea. I went to Paris to get into a conservatory at the age of 19, but after 6 months, I had to give it up. My dad had a brain stroke and couldn’t support me financially anymore. I didn’t know anyone in Paris. No connections in the music industry mean no hope for me.
It was heartbreaking and a big wake-up call for a girl who only knows piano all her life. I didn’t touch the piano nor listen to classical music for the following 10 years. I kept asking why it happened to me and why I wasted those 15 years.
After moments of suffering and being lost, I turned the page and took another path in life.
A few months ago, one of my fellow coaches asked me if I would be a successful pianist if I continued playing the piano. For the first time since I gave up Piano, I said to him ‘YES’- but I didn’t continue. In fact, I said, there is nothing I wouldn’t be successful of if I put that many hours and effort into a long period of time. Indeed, there is nothing I didn’t achieve or succeed in as long as I put my mind to it.
I only failed or gave up when I lost interest or excitement. Or when I didn’t believe in myself.
I was not really a fan of the word Happiness for a long time. Lots of people said we need to do what makes us happy. I thought it was a blah-blah.
After over a decade of personal development, I started to understand the true meaning behind it. Without spending time or putting in hard work, it is almost impossible to achieve your dream. If you don’t have passion or love for what you are doing, it is hard to get to the end of the line.
People think it’s a lack of talent, money, or luck. But what really is missing is your willingness and happiness on the journey. The happiness of achieving each little step, little progress, and the feeling of growth. Because you just love it… for no reason.
Now I understand why we need to choose what we love to do and whichever makes you happy. Only happiness can bring you to the top of the mountain regardless of the challenges or suffering you’re undertaking.
Some of my clients are desperate of knowing their life purpose. We were not born with a job position or a profession to achieve our life purpose. We were born to be someone. There are many different paths that we can take to reach the top of the mountain. It doesn’t matter which path you take or how many different ones as long as they contribute to bringing you to the top.
But choose wisely. Choose the path where you feel the most excitement and happiness. Otherwise, you will never finish it to the top. Or we will end up on someone else’s mountain – and that’s not a happy one.