One Thing?

In an episode of House, one of his patients is a famous musician. The patient comments that neither he or House is married with a life beyond work. The patient goes on to say that this is because they both have one thing, this one passion that consumes their life. They're the best at what they do in this one area, but they don't have time for anything else. Normal people, on the other hand, he says, have spouses, children, hobbies, etc- because they don't have that one thing.

When you have a really strong passion in one area of your life, it can be easy to let the rest of life pass you by. You put 100% of your efforts into that one passion, because you're not happy unless you do.

But is letting other parts of life pass you by the right thing to do? I mean, aren't there plenty of people who are "the best" at what they do, but they still have families and lives besides their work?

I have at least two passions that mean the world to me, and if I can't succeed in those areas, I don't want to be alive. Death is more desirable to me than a generic life. I mean, if all you're doing is working at some job you don't care about, the world doesn't need you. You've become generic- because someone else could do your job, just as well as you do it. That's why it's so important to follow your passions. But at the same time, how far should you follow them? I guess that's something you figure out as you live life..