You’ve probably heard advice like, follow your passion and you’ll never work a day in your life. But is that really the best approach? Could a more skills-based career path actually bring you more fulfillment?
There’s a lot to consider when choosing a career path. Can you actually make a living with your passion? What if turning it into a job makes you hate it? And can a skills-based career be just as fulfilling?
I’ve done both. I followed my skills in my corporate career and when starting my first business. And I followed my passion when launching my second business. But when I sold that business last year, I was left with this question again – do I follow my skills or my passion?
I spent countless hours reading and researching to find the answer. In this post, I’ll share key insights from psychology and career experts on what actually brings fulfillment at work, along with an activity to help you explore different career paths with clarity.
The Reality of Following Your Passion
It’s easy to feel inspired when you see someone following their passion. Quitting a job to become an artist or musician embodies freedom, and it’s inspiring to see people who just know what they’re meant to do. But most of us don’t have that clarity.
And even if you do have a clear passion, studies show that following it may not be as glamorous as it seems. Many people have passions in areas that are highly competitive or don’t offer stable income – like professional sports or niche hobbies. If your passion doesn’t align with market demand, it can be tough to make a living.
For example, a musician may struggle financially because so many people want to do it, but high-paying opportunities are rare. And even if you do turn your passion into a job, it can change how you feel about it. A hobby you love for its creativity – like photography – might become stressful when you’re dealing with difficult clients or shooting subjects you’re not interested in.
Beyond that, turning a passion into a career can create pressure. Psychologist Robert Vallerand distinguishes between two types of passion:
Harmonious passion (which integrates well into life) is when you love doing something, but it fits naturally into your life. You’re in control, it makes you happy, and it doesn’t take over everything else.
Obsessive passion (which can lead to burnout) is when your passion starts to control you. You feel like you have to do it, even when it causes stress or gets in the way of other important things. It’s often tied to external rewards like money or recognition, which can lead to burnout.
When your financial security depends on your passion, it can tip from harmonious to obsessive.
Even in traditional jobs, following a passion can have opportunity costs. If you’re only focused on your passion, you might overlook developing complementary skills. For example, a passionate writer who ignores marketing or project management could miss out on opportunities that broaden their career options.
Another major factor is whether your passion aligns with your core values. This happened to me with my last business. I was passionate about tabletop games, so I built a website around it. At the time, one of my core values was fun, and I loved writing about games. But over time, my values changed – I wanted to make a more meaningful impact on people’s lives. The business no longer felt fulfilling, so I sold it.
How a Skills-Based Career Can Bring Fulfillment
If following your passion is risky, can a skills-based career bring just as much fulfillment?
In Drive, Dan Pink (Amazon link) argues that intrinsic motivation – our inner drive to learn, create, and improve – is the key to career satisfaction. While external rewards like money and promotions help pay the bills, studies show they’re not enough to keep us fulfilled in the long run.
Instead, Pink identifies three key ingredients for motivation and fulfillment at work.
1. Autonomy
Having control over how you do your work. This could mean choosing your own tasks, setting your own schedule, or working independently. Google’s famous 20% time policy – where employees could spend 20% of their time on independent projects – led to the creation of Gmail and Google News.
2. Mastery
The opportunity to develop competence and get better at something meaningful. Musicians, artists, and athletes often practice for the joy of improving, not just for external rewards. This intrinsic drive for mastery is essential for growth and satisfaction.
3. Purpose
Feeling like your work contributes to something bigger than yourself. People in nonprofit organizations often accept lower salaries because they’re motivated by the mission and impact of their work.
If you find a role that offers autonomy, mastery, and purpose, you may find deep fulfillment – even if it’s not directly related to your passion.
Passion Can Evolve
Does this mean passion doesn’t matter at all in career choice? And that if you choose a skills-based career, you’ll never feel passionate about your work?
Not necessarily.
Psychologist Angela Duckworth’s research shows that passion doesn’t always start fully formed. Instead, committing to a field – even if you’re not passionate about it at first – can be deeply satisfying as your skills and opportunities grow.
In So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Cal Newport (Amazon link) argues that passion often follows mastery rather than causes it. When you build rare and valuable skills, you gain career capital – leading to more fulfilling work.
As you become more skilled, you also gain more autonomy and financial security. You might even reach a point where you can work part-time or freelance, giving you more time to pursue personal passions outside of work.
Once you realize that passion isn’t predetermined and fixed, it opens up a lot more possibilities.
An Activity to Explore Your Career Path
Whenever I’ve been at a career crossroads, I use this exercise to explore my options.
- Search for realistic job roles – Find job listings that match your current skills and interests. This helps confirm there’s market demand.
- Assess salary and career growth – Look at salary expectations and growth potential. Where will this role take you in 5–10 years? Will you need additional qualifications?
- Consider the work environment – What types of companies hire for this role? Large corporations, small startups, or government organizations? Each offers a different environment and purpose.
- Visualize the day-to-day work – Read the job description carefully. What would a typical workday look like? Who would you interact with? What tools or systems would you use? Try to picture it in as much detail as possible.
- Match it against autonomy, mastery, and purpose – Does this role offer the three key elements of fulfillment that Dan Pink describes? Would you be building valuable career capital, as Cal Newport suggests?
- Check for value alignment – Even if the job seems great, make sure it aligns with your core values. Otherwise, you may find it unfulfilling over time.
Want to dive deeper into discovering your core values? Try doing the Values Affirmation activity.
It’s not just about chasing passion
Finding fulfillment at work isn’t just about chasing a passion – it’s about finding a role that offers autonomy, mastery, and purpose while aligning with your values. Passion can evolve over time, and skills can lead to fulfilling careers in unexpected ways.
So, whether you follow your passion or your skills, the key is to choose a path that aligns with who you are and allows you to grow. The right balance will be different for everyone – but with the right approach, you can find work that is both meaningful and sustainable.
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