Am I the only one who thinks "just follow your passion" is terrible career advice?

Heard this from a speaker at a job fair last month and it just bugged me. Like yeah, follow your passion if you have a trust fund or no bills. I told my buddy Dave I'd rather have a job that pays well and leaves me energy for my actual hobbies instead of turning my passion into something I hate because I have to do it for a boss. Has anyone else had a hobby die after making it your job?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_williams712mo ago

My buddy tried turning gaming into a job and now he hates playing.

norab212mo ago

Threw my whole relationship with painting into the trash by trying to sell stuff on Etsy. I used to spend weekends just messing around with colors and brushes, no pressure. Then I started timing myself, stressing about what would sell, and getting mad when people didn't like my stuff. Now I haven't picked up a brush in like 8 months. Totally ruined it for myself.

the_mila2mo agoTop Commenter

That's the fastest way to kill any hobby, honestly. Once you add pressure, deadlines, and the need to perform, the fun just drains out of it. Your buddy probably started seeing games as work instead of an escape. There is no way to flip that switch back either. It's sad, but it happens all the time when people monetize their passion.