“Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.”  

–      Hebbel (German poet)

Nothing in my life has ever been accomplished without passion, that’s for sure.  One of my earliest experiences with passion came when I was in junior high school and began playing the trumpet.  It originally was the French Horn, but I found it cumbersome and unexciting (no offense to those French Horn players out there).  But, it was a necessary step in the process of introducing me to the trumpet.  Junior High led to High School and that is where I joined the Marching Band.  (I thought that was far cooler than playing football or soccer.  There are some that will disagree).  I was not the best trumpet player in the world.  My childhood best friend, Willie, was far better and always held “first seat”.  But, I loved it (still do) and was driven by passion.  So, I started a lawn-mowing business in order to purchase a brand-new trumpet.  I already owned a “Bundy” -- your basic, brass starter trumpet.  But, I wanted a Benge, a trumpet considered one of the world’s finest. 

Elden Benge first fell in love with the instrument at a very young age.  He performed all over the country and practiced his trumpet continuously.  What he noticed as he began to play over the years is that the run of the mill trumpets being mass-produced in the country at that time (1930’s) did not provide the sound he was ultimately seeking.  He craved better tone quality from the instrument and spent countless time in the basement of his home developing what he considered to be his “dream” trumpet.

So, there I was, mowing lawns, pocketing money to buy a new Benge.  My band instructor at the time (a very skilled trumpet player himself), found a Benge that had only been played in a Swiss Jazz Festival.  Long story short, I was soon the proud owner of an incredibly prized and flawless instrument. 

It didn’t make me a better player, but it sure made me look better trying!

After spending a few years in high school playing the trumpet, I got kicked out of the band.  That’s another entry altogether.  I immediately found myself auditioning for the school’s Fall Production of “Spoon River Anthology”.  I was hooked.  I had found another passion.  Theatre.  So, I closed the Benge up in its case and began my new pursuit.  I would skip school to do extra work in movies being shot locally and I was in classes at The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.  So, after high school, I enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.   One problem.  I had no money.  So, I sold my beautiful trumpet to pay for my first few months of class and my plane ticket to the Big Apple.  I went for a summer acting program that turned into 18 years.

So, I spent many years pursuing acting and then replaced acting with my true passion – writing  (acting was like a girlfriend I knew I would never marry, but with writing, I had found my soul mate).  Reflecting back on my various passions, I noticed a pattern.  I was trading one passion for another.  What I didn’t realize, at the time, is that I could have pursued them simultaneously.  Consequently, I spent most of my twenties in sheer frustration.  My focus was so singular that because I poured all of my energy and attention into one passion, I left myself closed off to other interests. 

I will have to say one thing – it is important to note that there are gifts and then there are hobbies.  Life is spent trying to figure out which is which.  But, when we find what we love – our primary passion – I can only see this as making everything else we do more interesting and alive.  It’s what I call “diversifying our passion portfolio”.  The same way a savvy investor seeks out diverse ways to invest their money, we now have more opportunities than ever to diversify how we invest our passions.  We each have them.  Some will make us a living, others will simply provide joy and fulfillment (maybe it’s candle making or volunteering at a nursing home).  Either way, there is no rule that says you can’t pursue multiple passions at once. 

Some great advice my wife and I heard over the last few years is that whatever you are pursuing as your passion (and if you’re not, find something!), always take up other interests no matter if they are artistic, charitable, musical or philanthropic.  Developing secondary interests will only enhance the experience of your primary passion.  Who knows, on your road to becoming the next Benge, you could find yourself the next Hemingway instead.

Remember – nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.

Of course, while we pursue our passions, we must also find balance, make a living and not annoy our neighbors with excessive, late-night trumpet playing! 

Michael Albanese is a playwright, screenwriter and part-time jack-of-all-trades. A recent transplant to Los Angeles from New York, he loves, in no particular order, all things Italian, art, films, music, theatre, food, wine, etc.  He drinks a lot of coffee and knows just enough about sports to get by.  He has vast experience in the hospitality and service industries and at one point in life, wanted to be a dentist.  He lives with his best friend, who happens to be his wife, and has a stuffed dog because he won't commit to getting a real one.  He is committed to discovering new passions in 2009 and already has in Servana!