The Perils of a Passionate Career: Why ‘Follow Your Passion’ is Terrible Advice
How many times have you been told that following your passion will lead to the perfect job? And how many of you feel a sinking pit in your stomach every time you hear it?
You’re not alone. For many of us contemplating a career transition, those four little words—follow your passion—trigger more stress than inspiration. You start to wonder if something’s wrong with you. Why haven’t you found your calling yet? Did you miss it? Will you ever find work that lights you up?
I’m here to offer some relief: this is terrible advice—and here’s why.
5 Reasons “Follow Your Passion” Leads People Astray
It assumes you have one true calling.
(Spoiler: Most of us have many interests and strengths.)
It creates pressure to find “the one.”
(Like the job search isn’t stressful enough.)
It limits your thinking.
(Hello, tunnel vision. Goodbye, opportunity.)
It ties your identity too tightly to your work.
(Your job is not your worth.)
There’s no actual evidence that it works.
(Sorry, Uncle Bob. The research just doesn’t back it up.)
What the Research Actually Says
Choosing a career based on passion occasionally works out—but it's rare. In reality, people tend to feel the most satisfied and successful in their careers when they:
Focus on their strengths and values
Stay open to new possibilities
Allow passion to grow over time through success and purpose
In other words, passion isn’t the prerequisite—it’s the outcome.
A recent article in Harvard Business Review, "When It’s Time to Leave a Career That You're Passionate About", by Berry, Lucas, and Jachimowicz, adds fuel to the fire. Their research shows that when people view their career as a passion, they often stay too long in unfulfilling roles out of guilt, fear of failure, or worry about how others will judge them.
Their conclusion?
“People flourish when they see their careers as evolving journeys rather than fixed destinations.”
Amen to that.
The Power of a Strengths-Based Career Approach
You'll hear me talk a lot about evidence-based coaching, but this perspective also comes from lived experience.
My own path to career coaching wasn’t linear. I spent years chasing what I thought success should look like—until I began focusing on what I was genuinely good at and loved doing. Once I leaned into my strengths, everything shifted. New possibilities opened. Work started to feel energizing.
Strengths-based coaching works because it cuts through the noise. It doesn’t ask you to chase some elusive passion—it helps you focus on what you already do well and how to build a career around that.
Rethinking What Makes Work Fulfilling
If you’re navigating a career transition, here’s what I hope you’ll take away:
You don’t need to find your one passion to have a meaningful career.
You do need to know what energizes you, what you value, and where your strengths lie.
You are allowed to evolve, shift, and grow over time.
Let go of the pressure to find the one perfect job—and start exploring the many roles, industries, and environments where you can thrive.
You might just find that passion shows up once you're already in motion!
