You Think It’s Passion—But It’s Probably Fear

Today, I want to discuss—discuss—discuss… or rather, have a dialogue. Because “discuss” comes from a Latin root that means to break things apart. A dialogue, on the other hand, is about moving with meaning.

So, I want to open a dialogue about this:
What is the root cause of your actions?

For most of us, when we look at our behavior, the cause seems to be things like power—“I want more control.” Or maybe a desire for fame—“I want a million followers.” Or jealousy—“My friend has a bigger house than me.” Or simply fear—“If I don’t get this job, I won’t survive.”

But if we look more deeply, we’ll often find that all of these—power, jealousy, desire—are rooted in fear.

And the opposite of fear? Some would call it love. I feel that it’s something beyond naming… but for now, let’s just use the word love.

Here’s the key point:
If all our actions are rooted in fear, what kind of results can we possibly expect?
If you plant a tree, and the root is rotten—what kind of tree will grow?

That brings me to an argument I’ve heard recently:
Some people claim that “follow your passion” is the worst advice you can give.
And I get it. That can be true.

Why? Because many people confuse passion with desire.

They want to build a startup… or a blog… not because they care about the work itself, but because they want fame, money, followers.

That’s not passion. That’s fear in disguise.

So, they build something, but underneath it all, they don’t really care about the content or the people. They just want the external result.
And people can feel that. They read the blog or see the product and sense the emptiness behind it.

So eventually, they fail.
And then they say, “See? Following your passion doesn’t work.”

But here’s what really happened:
They weren’t following their true passion. They were following fear—wearing a passion mask.

Then they go for a high-paying job. Something “safe.” Maybe plumbing. Or finance. And they become successful—financially.

But are they happy?

Maybe not.
Not always. Because again, the actions were based on fear—just a different kind.

This is why I invite you into dialogue, not passive listening.

Ask yourself:
What is passion for me?
What kind of actions do I take day to day—and what is the root cause behind them?

For me, there’s a very clear physical distinction.
When an action is rooted in fear, it comes from the head.
When it comes from love, it originates somewhere in my chest. Literally, physically. I feel it.

I know it sounds vague. But try it. Tune in.

For instance, I try to sit and meditate every morning. And I ask myself:
What’s the action I’m most excited to take right now?

When it’s based in fear, it’s all in the mind—shoulds, comparisons, logic, pressure.

But when it’s from love or deep passion, I feel this subtle sensation in my chest. It moves me into action.
It doesn’t come from thoughts. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m being moved toward. But it’s real.

Yesterday, I felt the desire to record this very episode. But it took me 20 minutes to get home.
By the time I arrived, the spark was gone. I tried to record anyway, but the words didn’t land. Something was off.

I stopped. I could feel I wasn’t being true.
So I let it go.

Today, I had no plans to record at all. I actually sat down to do accounting. But I had such a beautiful start to the day—my wife and family were incredibly supportive, and the energy within me changed.

And suddenly, boom: the feeling came again. From my chest. Not my head.
I ran into the room, hit record, and here we are.

No second-guessing. No “Will they like this?” No “Did I say that wrong?”
Just presence. Just flow.

That is the difference. And that, to me, is the true meaning of passion.

We have examples on both sides—people who followed their passion and failed. People who took safe jobs and succeeded. Or the opposite.

But the real variable isn’t the job—it’s the root.

If your actions are driven by fear, even the most exciting career might become empty.
And if your actions are driven by love, even a humble path can become a radiant one.

So here’s the question I leave you with:

If you could delete every fear-based action from your life—what actions would remain?

If you can answer that...
You may just find your passion.

Thank you.
This was Dmitri’s Door.
I’ll see you next time—when I’m moved by passion.