Please Don’t Follow Your Passion…

I have never been a “follow your passion” guy. Frankly, that seems like such a privileged, first-world notion. As much of the world (now & throughout history) struggles merely to survive, we tell young people, with little education and no real-world experience, to figure out the most meaningful thing they have come to understand in less than 20 very self-centered years and then pursue it for the rest of their lives. Really? Don’t get me wrong, I think your work needs to be compelling, in some manner, and something that you can feel good about at the end of the day. But what happens when the mortgage payment is dependent upon that passion? Do you look at it differently? And what does that say about all the “blue collar” or service-related jobs that we all depend on, every day? Not worth your respect? Please… Graduating with a four-year degree, $40k in student loan debt, and no clear path to a job that will allow you a reasonable lifestyle is not noble, nor is it wise. It’s silly. And it means you never knew where you were going in the first place.

At risk of contradicting the culturally accepted default, I advocate a much more practical approach. It starts with not concerning yourself with what other people think. The average U.S. household has over $137k (per the Federal Reserve) in debt. So that nice car… they probably don’t own it, but rather took on debt to look that cool. Ignore them and their priorities. Understand your basic strengths and interests. Be realistic. Success requires developed competence. Understand your values. Your career path needs to align much more with your values than with your passion. If independence is important to you, a plan that leads to a big corporation is probably not ideal. If very risk adverse, probably not an entrepreneur. Want your weekends open for mountain hikes or surfing the shore break? You better know that upfront and know what you are willing to sacrifice for it.

And maybe, figuring out all of this just requires some time, some exposure, testing some scenarios. I have always advocated against a “flag on the summit” career goal. Thinking “I’ll be successful when…” is such a bad idea. I’ve always advocated that one picks a “path”. It may be a winding path. Good. Means you’re open to learning & adjusting. It may have the occasional dead end that requires you to circle back. But a path that allows you to enjoy the hike, be challenged by it, and appreciate your accomplishment at the end. That’s not following your passion. That’s applying reason to reality and making wise decisions based upon honest self-assessment. Get it right and maybe your passion is a well-funded hobby… and not needed to pay the mortgage.

When building a plan for your life, focus on the work of understanding you and your values and your priorities… not your passion.

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