The Trouble with "Do What You Love" 🤔
Leadership coach Amina AlTai, author of "The Ambition Trap," strongly disagrees with the common advice to "Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life." She argues that while passion is great, building a sustainable career requires more than just loving the work.
Why Passion Isn't Enough
AlTai identifies several key downsides to making passion the sole focus of your career:
Passion is Fickle: Passion is naturally changeable throughout our lives. AlTai herself pursued a Master's in nutrition due to a health crisis but realized before finishing the degree that while she loved the subject, it wasn't her "life's work." She advises people to allow passions to change without feeling the need to anchor them to their entire purpose.
The Burnout Trap: Centering passion can cause people to "fizzle out fast." AlTai observes that clients who are deeply passionate about their work are often willing to forego having their needs met (e.g., accepting half the salary they need). This approach inevitably leads to burnout and hinders their ability to make meaningful, long-term contributions.
The Privilege Barrier: The ability to only focus on passionate work often requires a level of privilege—such as having a supportive spouse or family paying the bills—that is simply not available to most people.
AlTai's Conclusion
Ultimately, AlTai sees passion as a positive quality but cautions against letting it become an all-consuming force.
She advocates for following your passion and being curious about it, but advises against trying to "trap it" by making it the single determinant of your career and financial well-being. A sustainable career must meet your needs alongside your interests.