I used to subscribe to the “follow your passion” mantra, but after decades of reflection, I’ve realized it’s misguided advice for most people. Passion is fleeting—it comes and goes, and many don’t even know what their true passion is, especially with limited life experience. Before Steve Jobs found his passion in designing iPhones and Macs, he was passionate about fruit diets, barefoot walking, calligraphy, being a contrarian, and hacking long-distance calls. His real breakthrough came when he discovered his talent for salesmanship and his ability to create a “Reality Distortion Field”—convincing others that the impossible was possible. His passion wasn’t a starting point; it emerged from assembling and applying his talents.
“The key is to figure out what you can do that others can’t or aren’t willing to do—a collection of advantages and tolerances.” Writers like Scott Galloway and Morgan Housel have argued convincingly that talent should take precedence over passion. Human existence operates on supply and demand—ignoring this reality leads to struggle. Success comes from identifying and developing talents that are in high demand but low supply. When mastered and recognized, talents can evolve into passion. Talent + focus = mastery, and mastery often leads to passion, not the other way around.
Looking back, my strengths lie in resilience, focus, and pain tolerance—likely on an average intellect curve. Cultivating both innate and learned talents is the optimal path, and if those talents align with market demand, passion naturally follows. Starting with passion as a career direction is like attempting to climb Mount Everest without training or tools—a fool’s errand for most. Occasionally, an outlier succeeds in perfectly aligning passion with career, but statistically, it’s a long shot not worth betting on.
