I want you to burn…burn for me, baby

Has anyone said a few words to you that compelled you to rise to great heights? Someone that made you desire to become better? It may have been a friend, or a parent, or a teacher. For me, that person was my English Lit professor. One thing I liked about this guy was that he taught us unconventionally. Oh, he certainly wasn’t your “Ok class, turn your books to page 100” type of teacher. He made each class refreshing and fun. One day, he brought a cassette to class and played a song. The song was Burn by Tina Arena. It’s an old song so most of you must be familiar with it. The lyrics go something like this: “I want you to burn. Burn for me, baby. Like a candle in the night. Oh burn, burn for me, burn for me.”


Then when the song was over, he solemnly switched it off and turned to us, “So class, I want you to burn. Burn for me…baby.”


I admit we all cracked up when he said that. He said it with such a straight face too. But we got his point. He wanted us to burn for something in our lives. To have that passion, that raging fire to go after what we truly want. Whether it is writing or singing. Dancing or teaching. We have to be on fire for something. This is what makes life meaningful.


When my teacher dared us to burn for him, it ignited something in me. I felt a rush of excitement take over me, like liquid fire coursing through my veins. Though English Lit was a minor subject in our curriculum, I threw myself into it with a passion even I didn’t know I had.


This teacher made me see what I wanted. I burned with each paper I wrote. I was determined to write my best, writing and rewriting over and over and over again until I got it just right. It was grueling, but let me tell you, it was worth it. I got high grades on every paper (I don’t mean to brag a little ^_^) and at the end of the term, he said: “Alex, you have a feel for the language. Keep on burning.”


I was on fire with overflowing inspiration. By challenging us to burn for something, my teacher made me see what I wanted to burn for.


Growing up I watched my parents run NRZJ, our hardware store, capably. But I never fully realized until then how much I wanted to be a business woman. The world of business has always fascinated me. But it was more of a tentative spark. My teacher’s words were like the air that stoked that spark until it became a raging flame.


I was in my 2nd year as a student nurse in Silliman then. And since I promised my mom to stick to whatever course I chose, I decided to continue on with Nursing. So though I am a nurse by profession, I am now certain that my true passion is business. I grew up around it. I got to see how exciting and challenging it was.


My original plan was, work as a nurse, save and then with relentless passion, pursue my dream of being a real estate magnate. But I’ve changed that plan. It has become more simple; Pursue Real Estate NOW. Not tomorrow, not in a few years but NOW. Why? Because I realized that you do not have to migrate to a different country or work in a job you do not like just to make money. You can be wealthy wherever you are. Wealth comes to those who pursue their passion. It comes to people who know how to take care of it. When you love what you do and do it to the best of your ability, success will inevitably follow. And money always follows success. Think about it, if you love what you do how can you NOT be a success.


Right now there are a lot of people telling me that I cannot do it. The Philippines is a poor country, it’s too hard to practice real estate here, blah, blah, blah. But I don’t care. I have closed my ears to all this negative talk. I love the game of real estate and I am going to continue playing it. I don’t know exactly how I am going to do it. But I believe in these powerful words:
If your “why” is strong enough the “how” will come.


Why is it important to pursue one’s passion? Because it gives you a sense of purpose. It gives you direction. It gives you a reason to get up each day and do the things you do. It adds color and spice to your life. Simply put, it makes life worth living.


So wherever life takes me, no matter how many detours and left turns there are, I will always find my way back to my passion. I will never be lost because of that one song and that one teacher who made me see what I wanted to burn for.


So what is it that you yearn for? What do you burn for? What makes you get up in the morning everyday? What do your really desire to be?


An acclaimed actress? A respected writer? A famous magician?


Whatever it is, that is your passion. And that is what you are meant to be. So don’t give it up. Don’t let it go. Burn for something (not someone – but something). Burn for something NOW.


Now go live your dreams!

Check out why it is sometimes good to be deaf in my post Dreamers Are Deaf