We’re bombarded with messages today to follow our passions.
Is it true? For some people, yes.
But for many people, passion follows success rather then success follows passions. Read that again.
Many people put the cart before the horse (and misplaced pressure on themselves) by thinking they need to know their passions before they can choose the right job and career. Research shows that’s not how it typically works.
Don’t get me wrong, if you have a strong passion and want to make it your career, great. But if you don’t have any passions, don’t put too much focus on that.
Here are some interesting resources:
I recommend listening to this Ted talk by Terri Trespicio
I also recommend reading this very insightful book “So Good They Can’t Ignore You“. Author Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that “follow your passion” is good advice. His research reveals the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping. After making his case against passion, Newport sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving what they do. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers. Matching your job to a preexisting passion does not matter, he reveals. Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before.
