This week, I received the same message three times.
The Understandably newsletter reminded me of the speech Steve Jobs gave at Stanford. Yes, that one, again. You can access it from the newsletter.
Then, during a company meeting, the same theme was pitched again—but this time dressed up in the language of emotional connection, team-building, and community, rather than as... you know, a job.
And just to really drive the point home, I randomly landed on an interview on TV while waiting for my wife, and there was Vanessa Martin passionately advocating for—yep—finding what you love.
By the third time, I wasn’t even surprised. I have even written and spoken about this in the past. I get the appeal. The idea is simple, almost seductive, powerful, as most simple ideas are. There’s an undeniable truth in the core message: Find what you love, pursue it with passion, and everything else—skill, career, happiness, money—will follow.
👉
Note: I am intentionally avoiding the term “success” here because that term is incredibly hard to measure and overloaded with social connotations.
And here’s the thing: I believe in it. Mostly.
When you care about something deeply, you’ll put in the hours. You'll keep going even when it's hard. You'll get better, and eventually, you may even be considered a professional—someone who truly knows their craft. But that money and invitations to speak at Stanford or get interviewed on TV are where I disagree.
Because somewhere between passion and profession, the story gets… edited.
We’re told that money and tranquility follow automatically. That doing what you love will lead to financial security, peace of mind, and a meaningful life. That if you're not there yet, you just haven't tried hard enough or believed deeply enough.
Here’s where I call it out: that’s not the whole truth.
Yes, some people do find both peace of mind and serenity by following their passion. But it’s never just passion that gets them there. There’s always something more—access, timing, luck, connections, health, privilege, family support, genetic disposition, even geography. Things they don’t mention. Things they may not even be aware of themselves.
To make it sound like passion alone is the golden ticket is—let’s be honest—a bit misleading.
Because I also know people who are wildly passionate and incredibly skilled. People who are true professionals in their craft. And still, they’re struggling to pay their bills, supporting families, and dealing with anxiety about the future. They work hard, not just for joy, but out of necessity.
And yet, they're told they're missing something. That they haven’t truly followed their passion. That if they had, the money and ease would’ve come.
No.
That’s not a lack of passion. That’s the real world.
I wish we’d start telling the full story. That following your passion is worth it for the personal growth alone. That it might lead to success, but it might not. And that’s okay. That doing something meaningful is still meaningful, even when it’s hard. Even when it's underpaid. Even when it doesn’t lead to the TED Talk.
💡
“When you do something noble and beautiful and no one notices, don't be sad. Sunrise is a beautiful spectacle, but without a doubt, the greater part of the audience is still asleep.” John Lenon
So yes—find what you love. But let’s stop pretending that that is all you need.
"Finding what you love may help you survive the grind. But it’s not a magic spell. It’s a seed. The rest still depends on rain, soil, timing… and a bit of luck."
