Should you follow your passion or not? In my talks I often state two things: 1) the most successful people have passion for what they do and 2) to find the best work for you find ways to connect the work you love to money. After the talk, some will mention authors that argue against the “find your passion” mantra. For example, Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs tells people that “finding your passion is terrible advice." Another who talk against finding passion is Scott Adams, author of the Dilbert Cartoon Series. And of course my own friends and clients often challenge these ideas. Recently Rusty Hyde of Hyde Engineering challenged the "follow your passion" thinking. With so many smart people challenging this thinking, I thought perhaps it was time to look into my message.[featured-image single_newwindow="false"]Click to ListenDid I Say That?I was trying to find out where I tell people to follow their passion. While I am sure I have used those words, what I usually do is tell them to find their calling - which is a mixture of passion, skills, and market demand. Perhaps my talk about calling is misunderstood for the simple "follow your passion" advice. That is fair since so many tout the “follow your passion” mantra. Perhaps they are translating my message to “follow your passion.” Fair enough.Why is Follow Your Passion Bad Career Advice?So what is wrong with simply following your passion? The word “follow” implies someone is leading. Since it is your passion, it is YOU who must lead. And there is the problem. Leadership takes effort and work. It is not sit and think without action. Sit and think is fine, but if you are still sitting and thinking months later, you need to get moving.But, passion is hardly a bad thing. There are plenty of examples of people finding a passion and let it drive them (even if they have no great skill) as well as others who find something to be passionate about in what they do. Some start with passion and others discover passion.The trouble is that “follow your passion” is often an excuse for inaction due to laziness and/or fear. Instead of acting, they wait to discover. And wait, and wait, and wait.Calling is RealCal Newport in his new book So Good They Can't Ignore You, mentions “research” which indicates most people do not have preexisting passions. That is crazy. We all have things we are passionate about. What Cal is “discovering" is that most people cannot see their passion. They are blind to it. I have had hundreds of conversations with clients who say they do not have passion about anything, only to discover their eyes lighting up a few minutes later what I lead them to talk about their passion.The problem is not lack of passion, the problem is lack of thinking and action. We are so stuck in thinking about “jobs” that we have a limited view of how we might connect our passion to money. For instance, I met with a lady who is a bookkeeper the other day who could not find her calling. She later explained how she loved yard work, flowers, plants, and all things about making your yard look beautiful. She explained she was not willing to start a company doing this kind of work. She also did not have the depth of experience needed to get a job in these areas.I asked her if she had thought of doing bookkeeping for a landscaping or hortDale Callahan, Ph.D.Business Coach for Professionals Ready to Take Control Helping you move from stuck to in-demand — or start something of your own. Grab the Idea Engine: 7 prompts to find your next move Book a Next Step Strategy SessionDirector of Engineering Management @ UAB (205) 790-8447 dalecallahan.com LinkedIn

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