I’m a third year college student taking a business-related course. I used to love my course in the beginning, until I discovered my passion for writing. I think I can’t love two things at the same time. I can’t give up taking the business course, and I’m afraid my passion for writing will soon fade away.

I don’t really like sticking with just one thing, since I easily get bored. My problem now is, I’m having a hard time doing my homework. I always feel lazy. Do you have any time-management tips? How can I focus? Please explain how you really DO it. I know lots of time management tips, but I find it hard to apply them in real life.

Looking forward to your answer. Thank you so much!

~Anonymous (via Tumblr)

“Writers write.”

No matter who we are in the world’s eyes—a business major, a model, a grocery store cashier, a professional athlete—if, at your very core, you are a writer, you’ll find ways to write.

You will find ways to write, because it nurtures a part of you in a way nothing else can. It is your penned mirror, reflecting, teaching you lessons that may have not been clear otherwise.

You will find ways to write, because it is your form of release, of relaxation, of self-expression.

You will find ways to write, because it is what gets you through your day.

But you need to trust that your talent and passion will not desert you while you’re attending to the other things that you need to make your life function, and propel it forward.

1. Set aside “you” time. One to two uninterrupted hours a week, preferably on a day that you are unlikely to be distracted by any last-minute errands or obligations. (Saturday mornings are my favorite quiet time.)

2. Make this your time to write to your heart’s content.

3. Make this your reward for a week of focused work at school.

When you force yourself to write within a window of time, you might be surprised at how your style evolves. You might realize that writing on command is or isn’t easy, which can give you a little bit of insight as to what life would be like as a journalist or author.

Remember that focus is a muscle you have to strengthen if you want to be successful, and that’s in any field. Use homework as “practice” for the real world, testing and improving your self-discipline day by day. Instead of letting yourself believe you have to choose between a current obligation and a current passion, let the love for your craft uplift every aspect of your life. That’s what true love does, after all, doesn’t it? ;)

~S

P.S. This week, I’m not dedicating a song, but a spoken-word piece by Mayda Del Valle!

I used to be afraid of “loving too many passions,” because I thought it would make me unfocused— writing, art and fashion. I didn’t know how each part would help mold my path along the way. I learned a lesson when I watched one of my idols, Steve Jobs, give his commencement speech to the 2005 graduating class of Stanford (you can Google the video on this). He said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”

I’ve kept that motto with me throughout college. It helped me understand the importance of your passion speaking to you. Do you love writing? Go for it. Learn as much as you can and practice during your free time. Connect with other like-minded writers and get your art out there. You might just become a successful journalist, an influential magazine editor or even an accomplished book author.

But it seems your dilemma is that you are scared of how to balance writing and your business course. For reasons you didn’t reveal, we know quitting is not an option. Which is fine, because believe it or not, a lot of the successful creative minds have a strong sense of business fundamentals, or rely on a very smart business partner. Think about it this way: the food business, the fashion business, the entertainment business, they all have one thing in common: Business!

Now, I want you to look at your classes; see if you can change the purpose of each class. Try to see how you can apply your course to your passion and see the possibilities for growth. Make it your personal game to be creative, and to think outside the box on how you can apply your learning. During your next study session, try reviewing the core material for the first 30-45 minutes, then for the remaining time, shift to an application of your passion to see if you really mastered it.

With all the inspiration in your head, to apply your college lessons in the real world, you might find yourself already jumping to learn certain lessons in advance. When a person is motivated, he or she usually jumps at the chance to be the expert in their field because they love to be.

A little tweak in perspective, practice in discipline and review of possibilities—you’ll soon be leading the rest of your class to the graduation stage.