“Follow your passion,” they said. “You’ll never work a day in your life,” they said.
It seems to me that these words have become the credo of our modern working world. I can’t even recall where I first heard them, but, from a very young age, they would become the crux of my career philosophy for years to come.
They’re what pushed me to give up going to medical school three and a half years into a biology degree. They’re what encouraged me to head to grad school for a degree in Italian Studies. They’re what led me to conceive of this pipe dream of owning my own coffee shop/bakery one day. And they’re what’s making me anxious about choosing a career in programming, rather than in writing.
As a long time member of the “find your passion” club, I’m here to say: it’s not all it’s cut out to be.
Let me be clear here: I am not saying that this phrase is devoid of meaning or truth. Undoubtedly, it has helped shape lots of careers for the better, and has given many the courage to find success doing what they love for a living.
Still, for a lot of us, this philosophy can at times be more of a oppressor than a motivator. Because, if we’re not “following our passion,” then, are we really living?
I spend hours upon hours soaking up entrepreneurship podcasts, blogs, and Youtube videos. I take in success story after success story of folks who are “living the dream” following their creativity. And, despite the parts of this philosophy that I take umbrage with, I will admittedly continue to absorb these stories with as much hunger as ever. But, as long as I continue to do that, I will also face enormous amounts of self-induced pressure to find what it is I’m meant to do, and to stop wasting time not doing it. And, this, I believe, can be an unhealthy frame of mind, due to the following considerations:
- These stories are highlight reels, and they often paint a pretty portrait of what was likely a long, laborious and confusing road. Some stories are honest about this caveat, but others seem to casually disguise it. This is, in part, because a lot of this content comes from folks who have made it their business model to encourage others to do what they do. And, while I’m sure they’re well-meaning and want to genuinely help others pursue their dreams, it does behooves them to make their successes as shiny, accessible, and “repeatable” as possible. But, this often comes at a misleading price.
- Many of these stories assume that you have one single and obvious “passion,” and that your sole purpose in life is to see that passion through. But, what about those of us who seem to have many, divergent “interests”? What if we aren’t truly fervent about…anything? Are we, then, destined for a life of unfulfillment?
- The underlying message in many of these narratives, though perhaps not deliberate, is that your passion likely lies outside the traditional 9–5 job. Thus, if you’re stuck in a 9–5, you must inevitably be limiting yourself and your life. But, there must be some people out there loving their traditional, corporate jobs, right? Where are their stories? Where are their motivational plugs? (Side-note: podcast recommendations for these stories are much appreciated–please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any.)
- Even if you know what your passion might be, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you are ready to quit your job to “just do it”. What does “doing it” even mean? Do you know precisely what skills you’ll need in order to set yourself up for success? Do you have a financial security blanket to catch you if you fall flat on your face?
Ultimately, I do still believe that many out there have a “creative calling,” so to speak, and that most can be successful pursuing it, when the time is right. To those that have decided to take that leap of faith–I greatly admire you. You’re courageous, bold, and are light years ahead of where I am. But, for those of us who carry this self-induced pressure of finding what our life’s purpose might be, and who beat ourselves up for not following the examples in front of us, I’m here to say that it’s OK. You don’t need to quit your day job right now. Your time spent there is not without value. You are learning skills and strategies that might even be invaluable when the time comes to be on your own. You don’t need to know exactly what you’re meant to do at this moment. It’s ok to keep searching, to keep chipping away at what you think you want to do, and to stay at a job that doesn’t check every box in your dream job checklist.
