If you put your heart into something and get very little in return, well, why bother?

Why? Because I believe the outcome of the cause behind the efforts will benefit others.

I would be doing it for my own self-satisfaction.
So fuck ‘em if they don’t like that ham sandwich.

The heart wants what the heart wants. I don’t think it’s a decision that a person makes. Sometimes you have to choose to stop when it becomes obvious that the situation is dead end. Some people never make that decision, are afraid of change, of regret, and get themselves stuck.

Why do you need something in return if you, yourself are following your passion?

It depends on what you were expecting to get.

It’s like an actor whose pissed off that he’s not a big, rich movie star after all his classes and doing off-Broadway and indie films, but another actor is perfectly happy in summer stock because the acting is what’s fulfilling, not the recognition or money.

Yes, for ones own satisfaction or the collective.
If you are talking about people, well…if you do things with expectations, keep a tit for tat score and then feel resentful and bitter if you don’t get a ‘return’, whatever that means to you, from profuse gratitude, recognition or ego strokes…well…then that’s codependent behavior.

It makes ME happy, inspite of all the hard work to keep my little micro-farm in good shape, my animals happy, the ‘payback’ is a happy, beautiful little oasis in the midst of a crazy world. :-)

Because I actually like meatloaf and I love making it and I could give a flying fig what anyone else thinks of meatloaf….so there! ;)

@Cruiser Very helpfu;. ~ ;)

Me too! I make meatloaf because I like it, and so do the raccoons! lol

Depends somewhat on what you want or need in terms of payback.

Somethings are done for others and somethings are done for the self just to see that it can be done. I’m assuming you mean there is little return from others who have benefited from what you’ve done.

@Neizvestnaya Yep.

Because every time you hope for a better outcome.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir GA

Well, I’ve had a time with the kind where you want reaction in return. In fact, I check myself first to make sure I’m doing the action because I want to more than I want a return. I’ve had letdowns from this but I think it’s because I equate feedback with appreciation or proof the person liked what I did. It turns out sometimes people have really liked what I did for them but they just didn’t respond in the way I expected or thought was “normal”.

I’m inheriting 3 teens raised very differently from anyone I grew up with so there’s a lot of checking myself going on in order not to freak out or jump to false assumptions.

Because I can be an idiot.

All of you who say you do it for your own self satisfaction, that is a pay off. That is the return.

@JLeslie I agree. I just know better than to “expect” anything from other, too. ;) If I’m following my heart/desire then I don’t see how it’s a waste of time or effort.

Why? because a third of me is a hopeless, pathetic, romantic. If you can’t guess, another third of me is a disappointed romantic, aka a cynic.

Absolutely, why bother?

In fact, you’re going to die someday, so why even bother getting out of bed in the morning?

Damn, if it weren’t for the long weekend coming up, I might just… well… who knows what I might have done?

I do it if I wasn’t looking for anything in return in the first place. Perhaps I enjoy doing whatever it is.

I try very hard to never have any expectations about getting anything back from what I do. That way, I always do things for my own reasons, and am hardly ever disappointed by rejection, although I am sometimes pleasantly surprised by approval! : ))

Well if I’m putting all my heart into something I obviously care about it. To me reward doesn’t matter as long as I do my best, do what I love, and do what’s right.

It’s the journey that matters more than the destination.

In whatever I do with passion, whether that is drinking or drawing or sleeping, I do it for the quest, rather than its end.
But most of what I do is me myself and I. I’m extremely selfish and self centered, so I guess that works out for me. I’ve no shame in admitting it. If I do something for someone else, (it HAS happened) well it’s for them, not me, so again, I’m not worried about what I might get out of it.

Because much of the goodness of life comes from experiencing the journey.