It is said that if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. For a lot of people, this isn’t the case, but since fortune favors the bold, some pursue their passions and lead a fulfilled life. Musician Michael A. Roberts is in the latter group, and at just 18 years old, he is getting an early start when it comes to following his dream. Here is his advice on how others can live based on their true calling. 

Know Your Strengths 

While Roberts is a natural-born singer, some people dream of a music career but cannot carry a tune. Yet if that person is a fantastic writer, they can still secure a job in the industry they love – as a songwriter or theatre lyricist. This applies to almost any industry, profession, or artistic pursuit. Even if you cannot be in the limelight, you can still be a supporting player. The first step in finding your calling is knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Then you can determine your optimal place in the profession you love. 

Find Like-Minded People 

When pursuing your passion, one of the first steps you need to take is finding your tribe. By building up a network and surrounding yourself with supportive people, get ready to make connections and learn the ins and outs of an industry or profession. Roberts highly recommends finding a mentor who will guide your entire career and provide lifelong advice through the good times and bad. On that note, a strong support group is one of the best ways to overcome challenges and low points that will inevitably occur. 

Believe in Yourself

Perhaps the most crucial advice Roberts has is to never give up. If you give up, you might have missed out on the opportunity you were looking for. Pursuing your passion can be a tough road, but you have to ask yourself how much you want to achieve your dream. If you are entirely in, nothing can stop you. And no matter how many negative voices you hear, you must tune them out and listen to your own voice as it says, “You can do this, you will do this.” Passion requires perseverance, sacrifice, and courage. If you are willing to put forth these things, you will be unstoppable. 

There are great things on the horizon for Roberts, but they were not handed to him. He knew he could sing, wanted to be a singer, and even prioritized his passion over education as he dropped out of high school to pursue his true calling. While this was a considerable risk, it fell under the category of ‘high risk, high reward’ for this talented young man. Just remember, the odds can be in your favor, but you have to put in some work to earn that favor. ife, as per Michael A. Roberts