Why ‘Find a Job You Love’ Might Be the Worst Career Advice

 Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ Sound familiar? That quote by Steve Jobs at Stanford has inspired millions… but spoiler alert: it can also set you up for disappointment.


Turns out, chasing your passion isn’t a guaranteed shortcut to happiness. According to Dr. Jaclyn Margolis at Pepperdine University, obsessing over the idea that passion equals success is… well… a bit misleading.

Here’s the catch: people who call their work their ‘passion’ often end up overworked, underpaid, and - surprise - stressed out. A study on zookeepers, who frequently describe their jobs as a calling, found they felt deep meaning… but were also burned out from long hours.

And it’s not just zookeepers. Research shows employers sometimes give smaller raises or fewer perks to employees who seem ‘too passionate,’ because they assume money isn’t their motivation. Meanwhile, those same workers sacrifice family, friends, and free time.

Passions aren’t permanent. One former student loved organizing music festivals in her twenties… but as she got older, she just wanted quiet weekends. What sparks joy at 20 might be exhausting at 30.

Starting a job can also affect your happiness in surprising ways. Psychologists distinguish between hedonic happiness - simple pleasure - and eudaimonic happiness - a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Beginning a job might actually reduce hedonic happiness at first… but work provides structure, meaning, and, yes… money to live.

Many people also risk “burning out” their passion. Turning a hobby or interest into work can deplete the excitement that originally inspired them. Teachers, nurses, and other professionals often start their careers full of enthusiasm, only to slowly lose the spark that made them love the job in the first place.

Loving your job is nice, but it’s not the only way to find meaning. Contributing, growing, and even just having a paycheck matter too. Passion is optional. Balance, purpose, and recognizing your own value? Essential.

Happiness isn’t only about feeling ‘good’ all the time. Psychologists distinguish between happiness for pleasure and happiness for meaning. Work often provides the latter - even if it temporarily lowers your simple pleasure. Unemployment, on the other hand, is one of the worst things for mental health.

Remember, chasing your dream job sounds great… but happiness isn’t just doing what you love. Sometimes, it’s doing what matters… and living your life along the way.

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