Why 'Find Your Passion' Is Bad Career Advice (And What to Do Instead)
Not what you expected...
I'm going to tell you what I wish someone told me in my 20's.
I’ve no doubt, some of you might hate it.
↳ "Stop waiting to find your passion before making long-term career choices"
If I understood this at 23, perhaps I would not have worried so much about the future. I've seen this played out in front of me through others over the last 20 years too.
In my in-house Head of L&D days, you're inevitably asked about career advice as if you're some sort of all knowing oracle (newsflash: we're not). If you work in corporate learning and development, you know what I’m talking about.
One of the most popular questions was: How do I find my passion?
That's the wrong question, imo.
A better one is: What am I good at and where is that most valued?
I've witnessed too many people crippled by their pursuit of passion and/or purpose that they don't capitalise on their natural gifts. This leaves me upset at wasted potential.
Life is short.
And the people you see online doing x and saying "follow your passion" are the 0.001% of our society. It's not impossible to replicate, but is it probable based on your environment?
I get this is very unsexy and not trendy advice, but it's real life.
What you're good at enables you to build skills.
Those skills bring you money which allows you to do things in life you enjoy. You won't be passionate about it all 24/7, but it is not to say you can't become passionate about aspects of it.
There were two conversations that deeply shaped my thoughts on this in more recent years:
1. A career workshop with a senior exec at a global retailer.
This director painted an incredibly clear and perhaps too honest picture for employees.
You won't be here forever and we don't expect you to be.
Their point was people and company's outgrow each other. Leaving on good terms for career growth is totally normal and welcomed.
They shared 3 questions to reflect on with career choices:
- What am I great at and why?
- What do I enjoy and why?
- Where is that combination most valued?
2. Reading Scott Galloway's Algebra of Happiness
If I'm to summarise the impact of this book on my thoughts it would be: life is short, it will be hard, invest in your skills, stop obsessing about passion, find what you're good at and double-down on that to build a good life.
Obviously, I'm over paraphrasing but you get my point.
In sum:
- Careers aren't linear
- No one has it figured out and there is no one right way
- You won't live forever so don't let time pass you by with building grand plans for when 'you're passion arrives'. Try stuff out, find what works for you and enjoy your time
As always, this is just me sharing an experience from one human to another.
Till next time, friend.
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