Mikes Passion

The Passion Project from Sean McFarland on Vimeo.

This movie is very motivating to any young student trying to find their way.

I don’t believe that they were saying anything that I did not already know. At one point I was lost like most of these students.

As a young boy I was told that I needed college in order to succed. I thought I wanted to join the air force and become a pilot. So I tried to get into the air force academy. but I realize that wasn’t my dream. My dream was bigger than that. However I still felt that I needed college.

All throughout elementary school I “suffered from ADHD. Or that what my teachers called it. I was too young to understand so I just wnet along with it. They said that without medication I would not make it to high school. So my parents and I continued my medication right up untl I graduated from 8^th grade. Even still in high school I was told I would  not make it to college without medications. Well I did, I ended up getting into SJSU.

SJSU was probably the biggest mistake of my life. I went there not knowing what I wanted to do. Instead I just picked a major that I thought would make me happy. But after just one semester I ended up dropping out of there and just trying to find out what it is that I really wanted

I wanted to be myself. I wanted to explore my opportunities. So I got involved with nightclubs. However, the push was still present that college was necessary to my overall success.

I attended city college, and again I chose a major in which I did not have any interest in. I just thought it would make me some decent money. Long story short, I left there because I felt I wasn’t like the rest of the students.

Yeah no students wants to be in school, but I saw the benefit of it. Its not about how much you learn in your classes, its what you learn during your time outside of those classes. How are you able to take what you learned and apply it to your daily llife. I decided that city college was not for me.

Having bounced around three different colleges I fond my self at Chabot college. I believe that this is where I belonged and I should have done this from the start. I was always passionate about cars but I never thought about actually persuing that as a carreer.

My dad always told me…do what you love and youll never work a day in your life. So I decided after one semester at Chabot to stop my academic general ed courses and try something that I loved to do. And it took off from there. I joined a program on school and it has been the greatest thing to ever happen to me.

I took my passion for cars and was actually able to apply it to my life. Now I have a job in the automotive industry and I could not be happier. I don’t care if I wont get rich from it. But I will be rich in knowledge.

It didn’t stop there. I do not believe in going out and finding a job but in actually creating them. I know that you cannot rely on a college degree these days. Its not about what yoou learned in calss but how much you learned outside of that. So I take every opportunity to learn. I started my own business this year. It is very involed in the auto industry. You cannot rely on someone to help you. You must help yourself.

In this movie, many of the students are afraid. Like me they were told they must do something that will make them money so they can survive. But I say don’t follow money. Follow happienes.. if you achieve happiness you will have that regardless of money. But following money, you may have all the money in the world but you may not have happiness.

Im 21 and ive started two businesses. The first when I was 18 was a nightclub promotion company. We through one event and it got shutdown before it even started. I failed, yes but I never let that discourage me. I was hungrier than before. I don’t believe in just going to school and sitting in class to get a grade. What is a grade anyway. Its just paper. And when you try and go get a job that’s all youll have. Honestly you have to try and learn as much as you can without the class. Educate yourself. You want something go get it. You don’t need a degree to start a business. Even if that’s not what youre into. You can get involved in something that means something to you.

You bottom line is…if you want something you gotta go get it. And in some fields school is important. But you have to think of the bigger picture. What are you doing outside of school to help you. And you may realize that school is just an aid. Yeah your classes may suck, but what activities are you doing that are going to benefit you.  Because all youll get from being in class is the same as every one else. A grade and a piece of paper. But most students will graduate and that’s all they’ll be. A piece of paper. How are you making yourself different from the rest. What are you doing now that will prepare you fro the rest of your life.

Read some books, start a business, do what you love. Be happy.

Chase happiness, youll have that regardless of money. But chasing money will not necessarily mean you will be happy.