What I’m about to tell you isn’t the typical passion-drunken advice. No one really cares if you’re passionate about what you do, and no one cares if you do what you love for a living.
This isn’t the typical romanticized post about passion-filled work. Matter of fact, you probably won’t like what you’ll read in this article. You might just want to not read it.
But if, for some strange reason, you’re curious about the truth about “following your passion,” read on.
Why it doesn’t matter if you’re filled to the brim with passion
Whoever said “do what you love and the money will follow” was pretty off-base. Not only that, but they inadvertently have caused a lot of people a lot of heartache and confusion. Many people set out to do what they love, thinking if they just work at it enough someone will come along and pay them for it. If they just become ridiculously amazing at what they do, the money will follow.
Wrong.
No one cares how passionate you are about what you do. They want to know what’s in it for them.
No one can be bothered to pay anything without a clear and tangible benefit communicated to them. The hardest thing you can get someone to do is to take out their wallet, and they’re not going to do it just because you’re really enthusiastic and follow your heart.
That’s because, deeper than that…
Following your passion alone is selfish
Simply doing what you love is not enough. Aiming to do what you love for a living has to be more about just blindly doing what you’re passionate about.
But that’s what most people do. They start a “business” pursuing their passion, and sometimes if they’re smart they try to provide people value while they’re doing it. They share their experience, or if they’re even smarter they’ll package their experience in a way that people can easily extract value from.
Even that’s not enough.
If you don’t start out filling a desperate need or solving an urgent problem from the start, you’ve already lost. It doesn’t matter if you’re absolutely overdosing on passion. It’s not enough.
Here’s what else:
- Sometimes your passion won’t align with what other people need. If you’re passionate about 13th century architecture, but no one is interested in contracting you, it’s game over. You’ll have to find something else, or not pursue your passion as a means of income.
- Sometimes your passion is too personal to turn into a business. If you play a style of music or create a type of art that only appeals to you, it will be hard to create an income from it. And sometimes the pressure of turning an art into an income will make you feel stifled.
The other major problem is that the call to follow your passion only looks at half of the picture. Choosing to change the work you do isn’t enough. In order to really find meaningful fulfillment, you need to change the way you approach work itself.
This might mean…
- Adjusting your attitude toward work. Showing up excited about the work you do instead of just seeking exciting work.
- Changing your beliefs about work. Looking at it from a different perspective and re-framing the way you see work, not simply as a chore (which is most often the reason we avoid it), but as a way to make a meaningful contribution to the world.
- Choosing purpose, not just passion. Often most of the meaning and fulfillment from work comes not just from being passionate about it, but from specifically choosing and being intimately connected with a deeper purpose.
The passion work call to action heralded on high from most gurus fails to point out this missing part of the picture. Simply doing what you love isn’t enough.
Meaningful work is often different than passion-crazed romanticism. When you’re working toward a cause you deeply believe in, your tolerance for doing work that isn’t super exciting increases dramatically. You can feel purposeful doing the work because you can actual relate to the purpose behind it.
The reason many people are dissatisfied with cubicle work (as I was) is caused by a major disconnect between the work that you actually do, and the result it produces in the world. When you’re blindly following instructions handed down from high that are loaded with corporate jargon, whether you’re passionate about the actual what you’re doing becomes irrelevant.
A graphic designer working on an interoffice media campaign that supports cryptic objectives that are out of context will probably feel pretty damn bored with what they’re doing, even if they have a deep passion for design.
On the flip side someone that has no passion for tedious transcription of endless video footage can find a lot of meaning in it if it’s supporting a message they find incredibly important.
Obviously, the ideal situation would be an intersection of passion and meaning. But in most cases, meaning trumps passion.
Alignment of your values over passion
While value-based passion work should be inherent in whatever path you pursue, it’s not always the case. If you’re passionate about engineering and innovation working for a military weapons design firm and one of your core values is non-violence, there’s a major value-conflict. Whether or not the work is exciting is irrelevant if it does not agree with your character.
If you’re passionate about design and one of your core values is sustainability, you’ll probably feel a huge disconnect designing SUVs and Hummer-like gas guzzling vehicles.
If programming and simplicity turns you on, but you’re working for Windows, you’ll probably find that this hurts you inside. ;)
Making sure your values align with your passion is just as important as doing work that makes you come alive. Sometimes even less passion is better.
Entrepreneurship as dogma
Most people will tell you in order to do what you love for a living, you’ll need to start your own business, freelance or some other autonomously structured work life. I’ve certainly said this many times in the past. But it’s not right for everyone.
The truth is, working for yourself is not a walk in the park. You have to think about a lot of aspects of business that would otherwise be irrelevant to you as an employee. You have to consider things like accounting, marketing, administrative and legal concerns that can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.
And even if you are committed to the entrepreneurial path, building a business can take quite a while. In the meantime, you’ll have to find something else to pay the bills and make sure you don’t end up in a van down by the river.
And still, for some people, the entrepreneurial path just doesn’t appeal to them. That’s perfectly fine. You can live a life of passion-filled meaning by consciously choosing to partner with an employer that has similar values, alignment of purpose, and can utilize your passionate skills.
This is a perfectly valid path, and anyone who tells you otherwise is full of shit.
Community and culture fuels passion
Another often overlooked matter the passion proclaimers don’t mention is the importance of community you’re involved in, and the people that you work with. Working with and/or for people you resonate with, admire and like makes a world of difference in the quality of work you experience.
It’s irrelevant how passionate you are if you work with a bunch of dicks that you can’t stand. On the other hand, you can probably grind it out a lot easier if you’re working with people you have fun with and resonate with.
Community and culture creates belonging and the feeling that you’re a part of something. And no level of excitement in your work can replace that.
It’s important to note here that culture is not passive either. It’s not enough to just search for the right culture, you have to be actively engaged in creating the culture that you want to participate in.
There is no magic formula
To say that passion is the most important ingredient to fulfilling work would be misleading. Sometimes you find passion by pursuing meaning. Sometimes you create fulfillment when you find a community and a shared purpose. Sometimes it’s just a matter of changing your limiting beliefs about work.
The only way to make this happen is to take responsibility for designing your ideal work. The perfect business or job will not fall out of the sky. You will probably have to create it. Get started here.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. As well as having a passion to do what you love it takes a business/entrepreneurial mindset.
We have to consider what the people are looking for. You make a great point if we’re in a market where no one wants our service then we’re doomed to fail. Unfortunately. We have to do our homework prior to going into business.
Great article!!
“Culture is not passive…you have to be actively engaged in creating the culture that you want to participate in.”
This really resonates with me. I think way too many people just piss and moan about what’s going on in their own culture, rather than doing something about it. It’s a lot easier to do complain about a culture than it is to change it.
Mmmmmm, interesting point of view, Jonathan
but I have to disagree. While it’s true that passion alone won’t build you an empire; it really should be at the core of it.
“…No one cares how passionate you are about what you do….”
I hate wine, I never drank it, and I don’t care a single percent about it. Nevertheless, I have watched COUNTLESS hours of Wine Library TV, just to witness that crazy-passionate Gary V. And so have many thousand others. Having a firing passion does infect, and of course, the more useful your work to society, the better.
I agree with Mars! Passion is important…for some. I don’t think you can lump everyone into the same basket Jonathan.
Like what you said in your article, “there is no magic formula”, so what works for some wont work for others.
I personally need some sort of passion, to get fired up. I have tried the,” just get a passive income”, idea and it just didn’t resonate with who I am…but for some others that really works for them.
Some people need passion, others don’t.
ps- my above comment sounded quite abrupt…sorry that was not my intention, but can’t edit post ;)
Hey,
I think I’m a passionate extremist – if you witness all the (wo)man-made miracles on earth, you can see that there was true passion involved. And I don’t think you can find it; you are either have in you or not.
Since you’re in the process of a start-up, I’m pretty sure you have endless fire inside !
It’s true I do have endless fire inside – ha ha! And I hope in all hell it lasts ;)
Car needs fuel to take me from point A to point B. But i don’t need a car that cannot me bring from A to B, even if it’s fueled.
This provides a great counterbalance to Gary Vaynerchuk’s “Crush It”, which I just read a couple of weeks ago. I do meaningful work that I love for an organization that I believe in and one that is doing things to make the world a better place (higher education). That’s what I’ve always looked for in my work and I’ve been lucky enough to find it every time so far–or else that’s the value I bring to any job I do, that I’ll believe in it passionately and give my employer my best energies and talents.
Vaynerchuk’s book suggests that each of us should be looking for a way out of our current positions. While I’d agree that nothing lasts forever, we shouldn’t all be feeling trapped and looking at the exit sign. Nothing wrong with loving the jobs we’re in!
@BarbChamberlain
I’m pretty sure Gary doesn’t say we should all be getting out of our current jobs. He says one thing and he says it a lot: in this era there is absolutely no reason you should be doing a job you hate.
He does not tell you, encourage you, or imply you should leave your job if you love it.
I agree whole-heartedly. I don’t care if you’re passionate when I hire you … I want to know that you’ve already accomplished something that I myself now want to accomplish.
Blessings,
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
Wouldn’t that attract people doing the same things over and over again? How can you have innovation ni your business then?
Thanks,
Mike
This guy Jonathan is a drop-out, by his own admissions, no offence intended Jonathan. He dropped out of high school, then college, then a job and claims to have learned a lot over the past year and yet his entire article is totally lob sided and unfounded.
He is a kid with very little life experience, certainly not enough to make statements like this with such conviction (and given that he has no training).
The truth is that to get through life one needs energy, energy is a depleting resource, we need to rest and nourish ourselves everyday in order to have the energy required to keep moving on.
This can and does get tiring and you need a reason and the will to keep moving forward. For some, it’s a house payment they MUST make every month, for others is the trip to Europe they want to make, while for others is just to put food on the table or working towards a long term career.
There are those very few that get to be dolphin trainers at Seaworld after an X amount of years college degree..
Whatever the reason may be that drives you to leave your bed and do something, ANYTHING, there has to be a need and or a desire, that’s the basis of everything we do.
How badly you want or need that which drives you to move forward is in direct proportion to how much energy you use and apply into what you do, it has, at a very basic level, nothing whatsoever to do with passion.
Passion is something that very few people get to exercise in the jobs, the percentage may be in the double digits yes but certainly only just, if at all.
I for one am someone that throws himself full heartedly into his job, I believe that if you’re going to do something you do it well or not at all.
Am I passionate? I don’t know, is anyone passionate? What is your perception of passion? Do you see some extremely dogmatic individual doing what makes him happy with fanaticism or do you see just someone doing something with pride and doing it well?
Let’s not get to technical and pull out dictionaries here but what is passion to you, is it the same to me or to Jonathan?
If I wanted to build a business selling snow gear because I’m passionate about snowboarding and skiing etc. I certainly would NOT set up a shop in the middle of the Arizona desert because let me tell you that regardless of how much passion I have, the Indians certainly ain’t gonna buy snow boots from me.
There’s a whole bunch of factors to consider when putting together a business, passion is NOT a necessary requirement but if you have it, it just makes for a better more fulfilling life and possibly for a more profitable business.
I apologise if I offend but I reject this article, although it has some good points, scattered here and there, in the whole I find it ridiculously offensive and based on ignorance.
@Tony, as for me you expressing the same thing as Jonathan, but in other words. Why are you offending him then?
“I want to know that you’ve already accomplished something that I myself now want to accomplish.”
Well, then you should be working for them… Not the other way around.
YES! I so agree with what you wrote about passion not building a business on its own, because people want to know what’s in it for them, and that’s exactly why it’s easy to sell the idea that you should “do what you love and the money will follow”! That’s what people want to hear…
Something else that struck a chord with me in your post was the idea that everyone has to be an entrepreneur, and hey, everyone doesn’t want to be that, and you can find happiness with your work either way.
However, like you said, it’s easier to work if you have a passion for your work or if you believe you are changing the world or if you find you are connecting with people you care about.
Part of the puzzle is perhaps to find a powerful emotion that you genuinely connect with, to fuel your pursuit? Because no matter how much you claim that you want to help people or provide value or that you are driven by passion, people can sense how genuine you are about it?
Great article. Thanks Jonathan.
Wise words! People looking to make changes in their lives should read this and think about the points made here. The passion thing comes up a lot when trying to explain why we want to do something, but that definitely doesn’t always make it the right thing to do.
This is probably one of your best posts Jonathan. You said just about everything I would of said (had I written it).
Great job man!
I’m not entirely sure I agree with you exactly on this one. Passion, alone, won’t build a business, but then again neither will skill or even market demand.
I do think a business can be built around any passion though. If 13th Century architecture is your passion, I bet you could find a way make a living with that as a core part of what you do with your life.
You are right on when you say working for yourself is not for everyone and that there are ways to pursue your passions while maintaining income-generating work elsewhere. Ideally, you can find a way to bring your passions into your workplace, wherever you are.
I think you nailed it by bringing in Purpose.
But Passion is still just as vital.
It is at the intersection of the two where our Great Work is to be found.
This is a lot of text. Also, starting of with mocking articles about passion in your work and that I probably won’t like this article really isn’t that much of a great start.
I don’t understand how people only try to get their point across by saying other stuff is wrong and although I agree with most of the content, I didn’t get past 1/3 of the article.
I think passion and meaningful purpose are generally going to be one in the same. If you feel that your work has meaning and purpose…you’re going to feel passionate about it.
I don’t think you are right. E.g. I quite passionate about playing soccer. With the same probability i could like volleyball, but i just don’t care. There is not specific purpose or meaning in both of them for me – just fun and physical activity.
Perhaps the purpose or meaning behind such activities is that they make you feel fitter, healthier, more sociable, more confident. Your purpose in doing this activity is because you gain enjoyment, fulfillment and health – thus you are passionate about it.
Sorry Alexey, that response is irrelevant. In the same way that this article used the typical, “they’re all wrong” approach from the beginning, creating confusion, you’ve done the same in your response. What Jason said was that “if you feel that your work has meaning and purpose ….”
What’s your meaning and purpose for playing soccer? If there is no purpose behind your passion except personal enjoyment, of course, this won’t build a business.
Yes I agree that passion alone will not build a business but I don’t believe that this is what most people mean … BUT it is clear that there are a lot of people who have made money from just having a passion for something. Have you seen the YouTube video of the lady who teaches people how to knit! Her passion was she loved knitting. Her purpose, to teach others how to do it and to it creatively.
Articles like this just serve to create more confusion rather than help provide clarity to those who perhaps need more direction.
I’m on the fence here, mostly disagreeing, but I think it might be semantics.
In my POV, if you don’t have passion, you can’t design and market or stand in someone else’s shoes, because you’re not standing firmly in your own first. It takes a selfish passion and commitment to be able to know yourself first. Then you can reliably and authentically answer, “what’s in it for me,” or “how can I solve their pain/problem” — which is really what marketing is all about–when who you are and what you offer becomes outwardly directed in a congruent way.
So one NEEDS to be selfishly passionate at first, in order to do self inquiry and and connect your passion to your values and invent possibilities for yourself. Otherwise, the whole thing bogs down and the flame will go out when you hit roadblocks (and you will) and have to redesign or recalibrate. Or when you discover you’re doing the right thing for the wrong market.
Passion, values, purpose. A great 3-legged stool.
I totally agree with you Lisa.
I still think that passion is important in succeeding in what you’re doing. But I agree that you should also see if people would benefit from the work you are passionate in doing. If we put our mind to it, we can even package our ideas in a way that would deeply interest people, making them prospective customers.
It’s true that following your passion won’t necessarily make money. As Chris Guillebeau says, you have to find the spot where passion and money-making coincide, at least enough to feed yourself.
But as for the rest of the post, you’re playing with definitions.
When people say “Follow your Passion”, they’re not talking about a superficial passion that disregards meaning, values and community. Rather, these things are *part* of the passion.
If you’re passionate about design, and then you work as a designer in a company that you hate (with “cryptic objectives that are out of context” etc.), then that’s not following your passion. That’s because part of your passion is the desire to be effective, do something meaningful, etc.
Similarly, if you “follow your passion” by trampling your personal values, that’s not really following your passion. Take a look at all the pro-passion bloggers sometime; try and find even one instance of “Violate your values and follow your passion!”. People just don’t talk that way, because that’s not how they define “passion”.
Working with definitions are an interesting thing – sometimes all we need is a shift in what we “think” something means to be able to get more value out of it; to see a perspective that we didn’t see before; a way of being in the world that perhaps we weren’t aware of before.
Shifting definitions, while being clear about what those definitions are, can be that catalyst.
Cheers!
Jeremy
Putting everything into definition of passion will not help one to understand the problem and what to do. Passion is emotion, while e.g. meaning and purpose is conscious decision, and values is believe. It’s true that they are related (though everything in Universe is somehow related). So if you don’t have adequte definitions there is no point to write anything at all – it will be not knowledge but set of letters.
You deliver a vary valid point. Passion may be overrated. However, if you keep hating what you are doing, you will be spending a very miserable life, regardless of the meaningful purpose of your work.
All the best,
Boris
Passion might be overrated but it needs to be at the heart of whatever you’re trying to do if you want to be happy. It can’t be the only thing obviously ;)
This is a nice break from the regular “do what you love” rah rah fluff. It’s cool to follow your dreams, but we best be sure we don’t abandon reality in the process.
I once heard this great idea for business philosophy:
How can I do what I do to help more people, more often and more cheaply.
I now ask it every day for my projects, blog and businesses.
perfectly right philosophy :)
You are right about this. I think it’s important for people to follow their dreams, but you must be practical. Especially if following your dreams means starting up a business from scratch.
Yes, I chose a career for myself I new I would love, but if I threw myself into it expecting hand-outs, I would have gotten no where. Luckily, part of the fun for me is coming up with ways to make what I do more interesting and compelling to others.
Great post!
-Saint
I don’t agree. Passion itself may not build the business but the perks gained from passion will. Be it motivation, hunger for success or whatever, it will get you there.
The post seems as if its in an angry tone with short answers, “wrong.” etc. Who are you trying to prove to, us? or yourself? It seems you’ve missed the ball and your angry at people who didn’t.
My passion alone fuels my daily motivation to reach my goals. Everyday, I succeed. But, I suppose it all comes down to what you believe. If you believe passion is all it takes, it is. If not, you’ll have a harder time than most people – because you believe it takes more.
I take out my wallet for enthusiastic people a good few times a week. I’m doing it more these days. When I see something beautiful, something inspired by passion, I’m happy to tip the creator. Much of the time it provides nothing more than fleeting aesthetic pleasure to me.
If you want to be the next Apple then sure, you need to be a cold blooded business person selling your passion. But not everyone wants to be the next Apple anymore. Big business is not what all of us want to become through our passion inspired work.
(Of course this isn’t going to work amongst people with no disposable income. You need to be seen by people with disposable income. Which sounds like business but a bit of serendipity isn’t so rare these days.)
I like the article and comment because they show how opposite opinions about necessity of passion for successful business. As my passions prevent me from being focused I have to confirm that passion should not be the only deal-maker.
ooh controversial topic. I think you have to find an overlapping area where your strengths, others gaping needs and financial certainty can come to one. We all have that place somewhere.
passion is doing what you love and it’s important thing to succeed in any thing but passion itself is not enough to achieve what you want , you must have great strategy to achieve what you want and take massive action in order to succeed wether it’s in business or any thing else.
great post i really enjoyed thanks for sharing this
I think people get lost in an all or nothing attitude.
“If you love it so much, how come you’re not making a living from it?”
In general, it seems the only way making a business from your passion is legitimate is if it’s your complete source of income. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can have a straight 9-5 job that’s perfectly decent and happily paying your bills, plus make and sell a painting here and there. I’m sure you can think of a million examples to illustrate this.
We also seem to be living in a world that expects you to hate your job. Most people seem appalled at the idea of a person liking their job if it’s anything other than their grand and glorious passion. It’s almost if there is something wrong with you if you’re simply content with where you are today. You hear it all time: “So what do you really want to do?” or “Don’t you want more for yourself?”
In the end, this was a very thought provoking article. I appreciate your willingness to say things like this and get such strong reactions from people. You’re a catalyst for thought and change. Once again, you’ve done that with style.
Agreed. It took me awhile to figure this out, why I couldn’t get published b/c I was certain I was very passionate. And special!
Then I realized neither mattered. What mattered is a publisher, magazine, newspaper, website selling an idea and content. Once I wrapped my head around that I started selling articles and worked on 5 guidebooks in less than a 2 year period. My writing career morphed rapidly.
Too bad it took nearly 10 years to figure all that out.
Some good points in here and some flawed ones in my view. A definition of what the author means by passion would be good. It means different things to different people.
Passion is not aligned exactly with money unless your passion is to make money. For example, I have worked in the non-profit sector and never did it for the money ever.
I agree that passion is an emotion but really you need to use your head. People lose their common sense and then are shattered when they’re passion doesn’t lead to anything.
The idea that people “don’t care” about your passion unless there’s something in it for them simply is not true in all cases. My parents see that I’m passionate about having a music career, but there’s nothing that will benefit them other than maybe not bailing me out (which I would avoid anyway). The notion that no one will care about me unless I give them value sounds like friends/family are self-serving individuals which they are not (for most of them) and that when they ask “how it’s going” they don’t mean it. Human beings do care about others whether it benefits them or not.
I am totally for passion… But, Passion is the begining
With out it you have nothing… But if a person does not
Learn to next step.. Passion can be a Huge let down..
Your example of working on a weopons project really hit
Home… Absolutely! The only way to take it to the next level
Is to have fundamental ethics…with out a REAL foundation
Passion is nothing but a childs dream.
I like the discussion but also think there are other words to describe our “interest” re: passion in a thing. Because passion (for ones work) seems a bit cultural-centric. I doubt if many of the working class in St Petersburg Russia for example, have the opportunity to “follow their passion.” Actually, possibly the only places on the planet where one indulges in a passion may be here, and in other ‘western and/developed’ countries ie Europe, Canada, etc. simply because we have more resources to do so.
Yes, unfortunately not everyone has the luxury of indulging in their passion, also abilities do not always meet reality. Not everyone can be a gazillionaire rock star no matter how much passion they have. ( I think people like Joseph Campbell helped coin the phrase: “Do what you love or, follow your bliss, and the money will follow.” He was an interesting thinker and mythologist, but I believe he had lots of wealthy patrons!) We must be careful when we attempt to simplify!
Well I guess I am doomed. I work with a bunch of “dicks that I cannot stand” and most of which are the very management who should be leading effectively. If I had passion, I am sure it was certainly sucked right out of me.
Checking on Crush It! from Gary Vaynerchuk, he says: Passion is Everything. I liked his book and look what he has done in the Wine Niche… while not really being that likable at first sight ;-)
It’s never that simple, but right, its the ONE and First Necessity.
Great article with many ideas that will help people to keep their ‘feet on the ground’ I especially like that you mention how in business we need to keep focussed on the benefit to the client / customer as that is all they really care about. I do think though [through law of attraction] , that potential clients / customers can pick up as to whether there is any real passion behind the business, as a person’s passion [or lack of it] will permeate all marketing materials and actions.
Great article…I think you have to focus on what people are buying…hen bring them a lot of VALUE!!!
Parents themselves who never uncovered their passion or who did not pursue it because they didn’t think they could make a living pursuing their passion or purpose. And what are their Problems or Challenges?
There is a lot in this article that I find I agree with but not everyone has ‘passion’ per se. Many years ago I was put through a personality test to find that my emotional character was was almost flat lined – with an occasional blip up or down for ‘passion / emotion.’ Essentially I am all numbers and straight line with not much in the way of passion. Artistic flare non-existent. That does not mean you cannot build a business or grow yourself. I think purpose first, focus next and being aware of the needs of others will often win out whereas pure passion may miss the mark.
The problem in your stance is that you define people’s “passion” as a narrow impulse of wanting to do something. For many people, “passion” means idea, certain situation and condition that they wish so badly to achieve that they’re willing to go the distance and do almost anything, much more than just wanting to do one or things for the rest of their life.
I ended up reading this article because I strongly disagreed with the title. Further reading then converted me to understanding Jonathan’s point of view. It’s true that passion on its own does not create a successful business or fulfilling career. However, a business or career without passion is an empty pursuit that will inevitably end with some kind of existential crisis. There are loads of successful and rich people who did not follow their passion. But were they happy?
Anyway, while I agree that you can’t necessarily build a successful business just by being passionate, passion definitely matters… and whether you succeed depends on your definition of success! Happiness or wealth?
Dude you are totally lost any features of your identity passion is not to bring you money you do something because you have to do it as it helps you with existing in artificially created reality plus your non passionate type likes to lie your self. If you know what passion is you can easily transpose it to any activity in your life of course if you got imagination :D. Passion is pure state of mind allowing to hipper focus and optimize brain activity , plus who cares about what others think if is happy with him self that what passion brings to you and is not just illusion.
And now one little prove for what I’m saying study closer owner of company making in example Go pro cameras and cry as he became one of youngest top hundred rich people just because of his passion. Leave your corporate set of mind stop poisoning minds of others people. There is no borders in live and capacity of human being. Fundamental mistake you do is to combine passion with money as if you got passion you fell good already and if you got eye for business you can use opportunity for making money when time arrives passionate people got mutual understanding between each other , that makes non passionate angry as they can grasp what is going on. And last one passion teaches you how to stand up after falling and continue most important feature for humans to succeed. For me is no problem that you want to believe in plastic idea. But do not poison others minds do not feel lower as no one want you to feel like that just find courage to be yourself , and if not no problem. :D
Wow… What an eye opener. I am a musician – and for last 6-7 years I have been struggling to create a stable revenue stream from music. Did a feature film too and jingles (which were not that satisfying, as making my own songs.) and even won International Award for one of my songs, but thank god, I have full time job to pay the bills. All these years, this is the first time I have read about something which is more towards the realistic side of things.
the only “sure” business model based on passion that will work, without a doubt, is if your passion is in helping others because you care a whole lot. Anything else will have limiting success. And most businesses fail because noone really cares about what you know unless they know you really care.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”—Dr. Seuss
Bang on @Andrea! You want to know that this person offering you access to your desired outcome has already got that very same outcome.
You want to know that that same person is a fellow sufferer; who’s been through the problem, understands and empathises with your plight, and is now ready and able to give you access to the solution.
If they do this in a way that instils you with a sense of excitement trust and confidence for what they’re about to experience, then you’ve won a thousand times.
Good read. But don’t be deceived by the title, I suggest that it should be “Why Passion ALONE won’t Build a Business”. Because you still have to love what you do, it’s just that you’ll also have to realize if it really contribute much to the needs. Because if not, and if my passion is to eat and sleep, then I would have a really big business.
In a nutshell doing a business means you should have ability to understand the market and analyze it to know how to make money what is selling. I feel its a kind of ability that some people naturally have in them.
For ex: In a college student A is very good in study, get good marks and devotes time, like studying but he is not focussing on which firm should he join, what salary does a person of his competency get, which sector should he choose to make a booming career with money and time and most importantly learn to deal with people.
There is another student B who is very average but focuses on which sector and firm he should choose, what role he needs to choose to get and booming carrer, learn what degrees, cert. marks he needs to get there quickly and make connection with people to build network .
The student B will be more sucessful after say 10 year of carrer.
Hola! I’ve been reading your website for a long time now and
finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Huffman Texas!
Just wanted to mention keep up the fantastic job!
I love this article. I agree that passion is not enough. Many people think too much about themselves as they start a business and not enough about the customer. I say “be passionate about giving customers what they want”.
Teaching our children to follow their passion is one of the ways we doom them to unhappiness because passions change. A 3 year old might dream of being a ballerina and by the time she is 5 she most passionately wants to be a firefighter and by the time she has left school she is thinking doctor.
Teaching our children to align themselves with their values and their aptitudes will help them hone their skills and find meaningful work and a meaningful life that suits and nurtures them.
I came here to disagree with your opinion but you have me convinced. Passion matters but it is not the only ingredient in a successful business. One needs to have a clear direction and a solution to a particular problem.