Is Passion Enough? Question from the Podcast Featuring Sudin Pokharel (DA69)

Follow your passion!

How many times have you heard it? I have heard it thousands of times–sometimes in movies like 3 Idiots, sometimes in books, and countless times in motivational speeches and social media posts. Last week, I was listening to a podcast (YouTube video embedded below) featuring Sudin Pokharel (DA69) when a question popped up in my mind:

Is passion enough?

Sudin Pokharel and his passion towards sports and media

I first saw Sudin Pokharel as a sports news reader on Kantipur TV during its establishing days. His hairstyle and delivery were different from the conventional news readers. Ten years old me was hooked. The five-minute sports news ended the whole news programme like icing on the cake.

Later Sudin Pokharel came with a sports programme, Scoreboard. It was even better than the news. The game analyses and player profiles were insightful. It increased my knowledge on football, cricket, taekwondo, tennis, and so on.

In the podcast, he explains how the sports news and Scoreboard was made. Waking up late hours for recording key moments of european football leagues, following players of various sports to create their profile, explaining and analysing games to make them more understable to audience, and so on show how passionate he was to his work. The pride in his voice when he explains all these is well deserved.

Hints at Toxic Work Environment

But Sudin Pokharel’s voice also exhibits pain. His passion did not help him financially. His face time on the sports decreased, and the programme was shortened. The organization for which he worked almost a decade did not show interest in retaining him. Sudin Pokharel does not blame anyone for it. “I could not make the management understand why sports his important,” he says. “Also, a common man used to be more interested in the political and economic state of the country rather than sports and players. Today, it might have been different. I was perhaps living in a wrong time.”

He also hints about politics within the organization. When he tells, “Some people were happy when I left because my wages could be split to two or three others,” tears came to my eyes. You give ten years to an organization and you have to leave in tears? Without proper farewell? What a toxic environment!

Passion towards hiphop music (Nephop) as DA69

“Ma yesto chhu” was a hit among youngsters those days. I didn’t understand rap, and honestly, I didn’t like the song, but it stuck. DA69 was one of the singers. I didn’t know he was the same guy who hosted the sports programme until I came across “Pahilo maya” and “She’s the bomb!” The latter, I believe, brought Nepalese hiphop to the mainstream. DA69 was a member of “The Unity” which gave numeous hit tracks.

Decline in Creativity

But then life happened. “When you are young, don’t have family and responsibilities,” he says, “that’s the time you can be more creative.” As life throws responsibilities, one is ocuupied with the thoughts of solving them. Art and literature are liabilities unless they are supporting you financially. In other words, practicality beats romanticism.

Not everyone can handle it

The dip in creativity means you start doubting yourself. Nothing in the creative journey prepares you for failure after reaching a summit in the career. The conflict between what you want to do and what you have to do creates a void. Those who are not ready for it drown themselves in depression and it may even lead to suicide.

This idea of why artists commit suicide just after being in peak was enlightening to me. It explains why they choose the path despite being loved by many. It also shows how vulnerable artists are. Their emotions make them creative, but the same emotions are also major liabilities.

Coming back

When Sudin Pokharel became financially stable, when he could bear the cost of his family, DA69 came back to the media. He came with new ideas for the media (although it got tanked) and he began creating music again. He could afford making music and recording them. His suppressed passion found its way out.

So, Is Passion Enough?

Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. Passion can bring success. Some people keep moving just because of the passion they have for things they do. For others, reality could knock them off. They may have to reorganize themselves, in which they may succeed or not.

As someone who has been through creative peaks and valleys and affected by responsibilities I feel it’s always better to have more than one options. So, maybe passion is not enough. But who am I too decide?