What else must you do in this life? I am serious with this question. What else on this planet could be more important than to follow the innate longing you came with? There is a TED talk by Elizabeth Lesser https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_lesser_say_your_truths_and_seek_them_in_others that is quite remarkable on this very subject. In it she eloquently relates a tale of being joined by family ties, separated by (among other things) life, ego and misunderstanding and finally reunited through death. She considers how we allow life's circumstances, dips in our courage and fear to lead us away from the wonder and excitement toward life we are born with. Why do we do this. What if this journey really is about having the courage to be who we are and to explore the gifts we have inside of us...the ones we have always known about. The dreams, hopes and ambitions we may never have dared to pursue for fear of...what exactly? Is it failure or ridicule we fear? I don't think any of us escapes this life without large doses of both failure and ridicule. This is likely never going to be avoided. Imagine how careful one would have to be to avoid the judgement of others?
We do have the power to avoid disappointing ourselves. We can have the volition to be who we are and suffer the blessings and consequences of this courageous stance in life. Yes some others will revile us for not being compliant people...others will love us for being ourselves. I think we do not regret taking the chance to really live according to what is in our hearts. That is what I am actively doing...how about you?