Passion

Those who know me well know that I suffer from an addiction to any Gordon Ramsay show. Don't ask why, because I don't have the answer. During his programs, Ramsay repeatedly refers to chef's passions. If a chef doesn't cook to a high standard, Ramsay will often ask if the chef has "lost his passion."

I've puzzled over this for some time. What is passion? And how does a lousy meal mean that a chef has "lost his passion?" Does Ramsay mean that the chef has lost a commitment to excellence?

The creation of this blog has helped to define my passion. I've always been an avid practicer, but writing about my practice has made me realize the extent of my passion. Even more so, quantifying my daily practice with my online practice log has shown me how much work I put into my passion. If passion is defined by quantity of work, I certainly have a lot of passion!

But this isn't about quantity. It's about quality, and this blog has influenced the quality of my practice time. I went from knowing (and writing about) what is good for me to consistently implementing what is good for me. If I had passion before I started this blog, then it is now tenfold.

We can always do what we do better, and we should always improve what we do. For me, memorization was something that was missing from my performing life, and I knew deep inside that I could do better. Is it "better" to play from memory? I think so, and I believe that audiences think so. 

If you have passion for what you do, you will always refine what you do. Passion has forced me to work even harder at my performing. If you are passionate about what you do as a musician, you must always work harder.

What is your passion, and what are you doing about it?