Toxic Idea #2: Follow your Passion

“Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life”

“Listen to your heart”

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. And don't settle." - Steve Jobs

It’s pretty limiting, isn’t it? If I once had a childhood passion like singing or skating and dreamed of being a star, then achieving anything else is a failure. I didn’t follow my passion. I should have worked harder and believed more.

But, there is no reason to expect what the population is passionate about will magically map onto the job market. They aren’t even related. The world needs few artists and millions of janitors, but I’ve never heard of someone who dreams of clean bathrooms. And lurking inside that belief is the incorrect assumption that there is one passion to pursue.

There are activities that people are passionate about whether photoshop, sports, or video games. And passion does not always create a great career. However, each activity has underlying individual elements that people love or hate that can be found in many career paths.

I loved video games. But specifically, I loved the feeling of progress, adrenaline of accomplishment, and recognition from my peers. These are elements I can find in any mentally challenging and dynamic work. I also loved teaching for the feeling of knowing I personally impacted someone. This is an element I can find in any mentoring or management position. I can even find it in several volunteer mentoring programs for students. There is no one career for me, but there are types of careers that suit me differently.

I will probably work 40 hours a week for decades earning the lifestyle I live outside work. Small improvements can have a massive impact on my quality of life. The job itself could offer the fulfilling elements I am searching for or it could provide the salary to allow me to live the life I want outside of work. And there is an entire spectrum in between.

So, while there isn’t one passion to pursue, I can observe these elements and attempt to chart an optimal career path through life. One that gives me the most of what I want and minimize what I don’t. One that allows flexibility for my inevitable changes. It is a difficult, complex optimization problem and I’ll spend my life solving it.