Al-Yaum newspaper

WHILE you walk on the path of achieving your dreams make sure to follow your passion and not just your goal. There are some who plan their life according to their beliefs and not ambition, even though there is a huge difference between one's beliefs and ambitions.

Beliefs in many cases form the social environment and the prevalent ideology, yet ambitions and desires come from within you and break off from what is customary. Moreover, they have independent motives that represent the tastes and instinctive nature of people.

Those who plan their life according to their polished beliefs in line with the perfect examples in society are usually stereotypical but are deemed "successful" by society's standards. This is because they get educated, lead a family life and act according to specific norms set to them by society as the best and most perfect model.

These people usually live a stable life beneficial for them and their community. Despite outwardly looking happy or internally satisfied they are, in fact at least some of them are not happy while some others settle for whatever minimum amount of pleasure or approval they derive in their lives.

However, the "rebels" are the group that doesn't accept living within the prevalent social norms and the goals set by others for them. Because they listen to what their heart tells them, they have a personal philosophy that wasn't completely hacked by the social programing. You find them not following the normal way or the way decided by society in choosing their spouse, university majors or jobs. In fact they follow their instincts and their inner passion whenever they can.

The subject of the matter is not just about the difference in their choice of education, marriage or even mentality and behavior but is also in deeper things. The idea here is that we need to accept differences more because "rebellion" against the norm and what is familiar is not wrong unless it infringes upon the rights of others or breaks the law, because being different is human nature and a cosmic norm. In fact, trying to change that difference is a violation of human nature.

The brave rebels are the ones who went against repetitive and normal routine, and have achieved some of their passion while what is normal is being defeated in front of them. But the less severe rebels stand in the middle for they have not defeated the normal nor did it defeat them.

Half pleasures, half resolutions, half ideas, conventional conditions, voluntarism and submission are things the rebels do not agree with. Meanwhile commitment, hard work, agreement with the prevalent social and moral system and respecting traditions are the qualities of the traditionally successful people. Society needs traditional people to maintain stability and rebels for creativity. Respecting personal freedoms no matter how different they may be is the civilized and beautiful way of human behavior.