Deep talk: how should we pursue our dream?

Just feel like sharing some thoughts…

Some background first…

Yesterday I visited this beautiful Japanese restaurant in Tai Kok Tsui, Hong Kong (it’s called “Asazuki” if you want tot try).

It is a one-man restaurant that seats about ten people max….. Yes… the owner takes care of everything from order, cooking, cashier to preparing drinks.

Yesterday was my third visit, and from the first time I felt something different about the owner, he was so passionate and cooks easily the best Japanese food I have ever had in Hong Kong.

We started chatting after my meal, and he (later told me his name is Eddie) told me he is an ex-Investment Banker, then turned to work for a Japanese firm for over 10 years. He always loved cooking and he used to travel to Japan a lot, where he picked up the cooking skills from Japanese housewives and restaurants.

Switching to the main topic today…

Eddie told me a lot about life and how I should live with no regret as a 24 year-old.

I asked him if cooking was your passion why didn’t he start it a lot earlier. Why did he spend so much time working for a corporate.

His answer got me into thinking…

He said sometimes the stuff you do that is seemingly irrelevant to your passion will help you one day to pursue your dream. If he hadn’t worked for a Japanese firm and had the opportunities to travel to Japan so much, he would have never picked up the skills.

Pursue your dream actively or passively?

I am a firm believer of actively pursuing dreams.

What that means is, if you know you want to be a professional golfer, then you should practice golf everyday… if your dream is to become an entrepreneur who continuously innovate, then you should quit your job and start working on that now.

Yes, I believed that the fastest way to succeed in A is to become A and work hard as an A.

But what Eddie made me understand is: you can potentially become an even better A by doing B, C, D…

Especially when you know what you like but not sure if that’s your true passion, its important to experience different things.

What’s your thoughts? Should we actively pursue our dreams? or be patient in doing something seemingly irrelevant, i.e. passively wait for time to achieve your dream?