Find your passion in life and happiness and success will follow

It amazes me how much hype there is these days around the entertainment business – when I completed matric in 2002, the only career options that were seen as cool were marketing, IT, accounting or a B Sc of some sort.

My name is Themba Nkosi, but I am popularly known as DJ Euphonik. I grew up in Benoni (keep your comments to yourself please!) and matriculated from St. Dunstan’s College. I wasn’t the sporty or academic type – but don’t get it twisted, I am clever! I love what I do and I do what I love – not some of the time, ALL the time. I’ve successfully turned something that was a hobby into a career, with no formal qualification, just talent and an undying passion. And a whole lot of energy…

When I started DJing at 13 in my parents’ garage, I knew nothing about the art, but I kept at it until I got it perfect. I’m not proud to say that I dropped out of varsity, but I am proud that I was true to myself and that I spent my time and effort doing something I love, and not something that I could see wasn’t for me. If an office desk, construction site, classroom or courtroom is where you enjoy spending your time and you can’t get enough of it, then you are doing the right thing – for me that place is behind the decks, making people dance and enjoy life. 

This is the direction in which I have chosen to focus my life. It’s not easy, but it’s what I love. In fact, I would say that the entertainment business is the hardest business in the world, because one day you’re hot and the next, you’re not. How good you are is based on other people’s opinions, not necessarily facts or theory. The industry looks glamorous and cool, but if you don’t have the passion, the talent and the patience for it, you’re going to find yourself very unhappy.

People don’t realise that jobs in the entertainment industry don’t, for the most part, require a qualification to get ahead – all you need is talent and passion. Sure you can go and sharpen your skills with formal education, but ultimately there will always be better actors, a better DJ or a better musician than the person who went to school to get training. 

Do what you love and love what you do, and success and happiness will be yours.