Most successful people cite passion as one of the most important factors for their success. But could this buzzword be killing your career journey?
"Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life."
It's one of those quotes that's posted just about every Monday when people are looking for a quick motivational boost. Finding the job you love is one of those things that tends to be elusive for a lot of job seekers when you have bills and responsibilities always on your back. For a long time, young people have been advised to follow their passion but maybe it's time to take a closer look at this advice.
Passion doesn't make the hard days go away. I think one of the biggest misconceptions about passion is that whatever work you end up doing, as long as your passionate about it, it won't feel like work. The fact of the matter is, there are aspects of our jobs that we would rather do without. It could be the paperwork, long approval processes or even just the commute to work. This can make some days less enjoyable than others but it shouldn't take away from the bigger picture which is the fact that you get to do work that you are passionate about. Passion doesn't make the hard or boring things go away but it definitely helps keep you focused on the important things.
The other things about passion is that it can confuse people into thinking in a very rigid way when it comes to thinking about their career path. Sometimes, the best lessons in your career can come in the most unexpected places like an internship or a job in a field that you didn't know you were even interested in. We've written before on Fuzu about strange career paths and how they can lead to the most fulfilling roles. Passion is great but like with all things, you have to be smart about it. Don't say no to opportunities just because they don't fit perfectly into your career plans. You might surprise yourself and find passion along the way, even if you don't start with it.
Check out more of our articles on finding inspiration in unexpected places:
Can This Horror Movie Teach You Career Lessons? Yes It Can.
Your Job Search is Just Like Game Of Thrones
Things You Can Learn From Superhero Black Panther About Your Career
