Calling versus Interest
The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.
Acharya Prashant (AP): Ekansh is saying, “Sir alright, you said my work should come from my calling.” He is saying, “But today I am interested in one thing, five years later I might be interested in another thing. Then what will happen? Should I change my work, my trade, my stream then?”
Ekansh, a couple of misconceptions. First, calling is not your interest, I am not asking you to follow your interests. Interests are flimsy, superficial. Interests are very-very flimsy. Interests come and go, born in India you are interested in cricket, born in Brazil you will be interested in…
Questioner (Q): Football
AP: There is no value in interests, born a male you are interested in girls, born a girl you would be interested in boys. There is nothing in that, no awareness, no understanding in that.
Born in South India you are interested in Upma, born in North India you are interested in Poha. What is there in that?
When I am talking of vocation it is far deeper than interests. That is the first thing. It is something that does not come to you as a result of external influence.
You can use a test. The test is, is it something that everybody approves of? What I am drawn towards…