As a passions and possibilities coach, I have heard just about every excuse under the sun for not pursuing one's passions fully.
Consider this: every single excuse drains you of energy and focus.
So if you want a really slow death "by a thousand passion cuts," try using several excuses at once.
For those of you who want to perfect the art of passion-killing, try these ten sure-fire steps.
They are guaranteed to dampen your dream-light forever! Ten Sure-Fire Steps to Successfully Kill Your Passions

1. Remain completely unconscious of your dreams.
   Whatever you ignore will wither and die.
   So whenever you feel ANY urge to explore your passions, distract yourself immediately with food, TV, web-surfacing, shopping, or another great alternative.
   
2. Play the victim.
   It is not your job to fulfill your own dreams, especially since other people and situations are always bringing you down.
   Be sure to complain whenever you can, looking as mournful or disgusted as possible.
   
3. Pack your schedule with boring, tedious tasks.
   There are only so many hours in a day and so many urgent, unimportant activities to squeeze in! Passions are luxuries anyway, aren't they?
4. Never ever expand your comfort zone.
   It's really scary and even dangerous beyond what you already know and are good at.
   Remember: nothing good comes to foolish risk-takers!
5. Use "either/or thinking".
   There are no gray areas.
   So either work hard and pay your dues, or frivolously follow your passions.
   Either earn a decent living, or be a starving, starry-eyed dreamer.
   You get the picture.
   
6. Put yourself last, always.
   Following your passions is selfish, egotistical, and wasteful.
   Much better for you to make others a higher priority than yourself.
   They will be happy and you won't be, which is the end-game.
   
7. Never share your dreams with anyone.
   They will ridicule you as a freak and renegade.
   It's much safer for you to act "normal" and be "realistic" like the others.
   Silence is golden.
   Besides, no one really cares about your dreams anyway.
   
8. Remember: making money beats happiness every time.
   Happiness doesn't pay the bills, does it? I can't use joy to buy groceries, can you? Enough said.
   
9. Never appreciate yourself or others.
   Appreciation is highly-overrated.
   Passionate people are so sickeningly positive and upbeat.
   Thanking someone here, praising someone there; that is crap! The world is a tough place, so you have got to play rough.
   
10. Keep your confidence very very low.
    You really don't deserve to have the life of your dreams.
    Only people who are rich, famous, or lucky get to follow their passions fully.
    You're born, you die, and there's this little snippet in between.
    

Congratulations! You have just accomplished all of the steps necessary to live a life of quiet desperation, like so many others in the world.
So, until next time, unhappy trails and bad luck!