“Follow your passion” sounds inspiring… but is it actually good advice?
Some people say passion is the fuel that makes hard work feel easier—and that it leads to success if you stay consistent. Others say it’s a trap that keeps people dreaming, switching directions, and avoiding the boring-but-profitable skills that actually build a stable life.
So what do you think?
Is “follow your passion” a smart life strategy… or one of the biggest traps?
And if you’ve tried it: did it help you—or hurt you? 👇
I think it depends on what the passion is for, for some it may lead to great things and for others it may not.
My nephew always said he was going to be a doctor growing up. We all expected it was a kid thing and like most kids would change his mind 10 times before he got to Uni and actually made a decision on a career. But he never changed his mind. When he went for testing to be admitted into med school he broke down because he thought he did not do well in his exams and he did not have a back up plan for a career. He scored first in his whole test group. Today he is doing his residency in a hospital as a practicing doctor and he says even though it is hard work he still has a passion for helping people.
On the other hand my step son has always said that art and drawing are his passion. He has not yet been able to make a career of art, drawing, painting etc. He has had good jobs but he always quits with the excuse that he is going to make a living from drawing. But he has not yet been able to make it work. For him, his passion so far has not helped him achieve his goals.
So there is something to be said about passion but it is sometimes misplaced.