Passion is Overrated

Happy Friday Friends,

“Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

When I first read this quote it inspired me. I thought it would be simple; make a list of things I love to do then figure out how I can make money doing one or more of those things. I was done with “work” and the Sunday blues. I was gonna be my own boss.

What a load of shit. 

I see that quote and versions of it EVERYWHERE! And to be honest it makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little. I even Googled it as research for this blog and found at least 10 variations. Who even knows how many are real and by real people?

I remember a similar quote by Steve Jobs; "The only way to do great work is to love what you do". Thousands of "Life Coaches" and Instagram "influencers" have borrowed it.This is in fact the full quote. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs.

Now who am I to argue with the late, great creator of almost everything that has been successful about that delicious, white fruit? Well, I’m going to be controversial and call bullshit on this quote and its line of thinking. It was easy for a guy as successful as Jobs to spew out this “motivational” garbage. He created the biggest brand on the planet and impacted millions upon millions of lives. So, of course, he found satisfaction in his “life’s work”. 

But none of us is Steve Jobs. And, I’m sorry to break it to you, but none of us is going to get anywhere near where he did. Facts! Sorry kids.

As an inspirational quote to help people like you and me find work that they’re passionate about, it is misleading and unrealistic.

The Reality of Following Your PassionUnfortunately, not everyone has the privilege of pursuing their passion as a career. Many people have to take on jobs that pay the bills and support their families, even if it's not their dream job. 

I am passionate about a lot of things. In fact, I’m passionate about all my hobbies. Of which I have quite a few. And, they change all the time. I find that one of the best features of a hobby. You can enjoy it and go all in but you can also get bored and drop it. You can’t always do that with a job that is supporting your family and lifestyle.

Could I turn one or two of those hobbies into work? Potentially. It's possible if I put enough effort in and built enough of an audience. A small connected world makes that relatively straightforward to try these days. Will it bring me enough income to support my family? Not for a while. And, the bigger question is, when it becomes my “job” and I rely on the income does it stop being a hobby? Will I lose my passion for it?

Work Isn't Always EnjoyableEven if you love what you do, there will always be aspects of the job that are not enjoyable. Paperwork, meetings, or tedious tasks that are necessary to get the job done. So, even if you love what you do, it doesn't mean you'll always love your work. And that’s the kicker. Everything in life has pros and cons. Everything. Your favourite book probably has a chapter or two you didn’t like. Even your favourite band is guaranteed to have songs you skip past.

Of course, we want to strive for work where at least the majority of the time we’re doing something that stimulates us. But, be realistic, you’re gonna still want to hide under your blankets some Monday mornings. 

The Overrated Idea of PassionMany people find their passion overrated. In fact, some people find it more fulfilling to have a job that they enjoy, but that leaves them with plenty of time to pursue their passions outside of work. I can’t think of many roles throughout my career that I was passionate about. I can remember having days when I loved the challenges I faced and the goals I achieved with my co-workers. I have many fond memories of days I left work exhausted because I had gone all-in. I’m happy to take that over being in love with or passionate about what I was doing.

It is relative and a mindset shift. You could be passionate about solving problems. Passionate about working with other people or, passionate about your own growth.

How can we shift our mindset to this little life conundrum?

Find work that challenges youWhen work challenges you and things are hard you are growing. Finding work that challenges you is way easier than finding something you’re passionate about and turning it into a job. Challenging work opens many more doors to many more experiences. You may even find a few things you’re passionate about along the way. Focus on personal growth and fulfilment rather than the soft, fluffy idea of passion. 

It's possible that the time spent searching for your passion could have been utilised to develop a skill that you excel at instead.

A career is a long timeStep away from the idea of a career for a moment. We build careers over a lifetime. Over your years working you want to compound learning and growth. Don’t think about your career and try to find something you can do forever. Rather think about accumulating chunks of experiences over time. 

The pressure to be satisfied and passionate about a single role, job or workplace is bonkers.

It's ok to move onOnce you feel like you’ve hit a ceiling. Which is often when you start to get bored. Move on. Imagine staying in the same job for 20 years or working for the same company for 10 years. Wow! 

There is so much opportunity if you want to find it. There are so many great people you could work with and learn from. There are so many great companies you’d experience amazing things with. Don’t be scared to change things up every now and then.

Start a side hustle or twoYou can now build websites without any code. You can build audiences by posting stupid shit on your social media pages. You don't even need a website to sell to that audience. And, you can now even have an AI personal assistant research and guide you in areas where you’re weak. 

If ever there was a time in history to turn your “passion” into a side hustle, it’s now. There is no reason you can’t have a job that pays your bills and then have something to come home to that lights you up. And, if you can share it with others and even make some cash. Winning! 

Take the pressure of passion off your job. And maybe, just maybe you’ll even start to enjoy it a little more with less expectation of what you wish it was.

Focus on other areas of your life to bring you joyYes, we spend a lot of hours in life working but it’s all about perspective. Even if you’ve built your own business from the ground up, you don’t want that to be your sole focus in life. Jobs are fleeting. Businesses are fleeting. There are so many forces outside of your control. If you only have one thing in your life that brings you happiness, that happiness is at risk. Diversify your happiness inputs. 

Accept the fact that work is work. If you don’t hate it and it pays for you to live well, you’re on a good wicket. 

While Steve Jobs' quote may be inspirational, it's important to keep in mind that loving what you do is just one factor that can contribute to job satisfaction and success. It's essential to consider other aspects of a job, such as work-life balance, challenging work, and job security. 

Finally, passion for your work can be a good thing, but it's not the only thing that matters in a fulfilling career.

Peace, love and muscles.

Jazza