Why Living Your Life's Passions Matter

I write this partly in response to Jeff Haden's post entitled "Do What You Love Is Horrible Advice.' Let me make it clear that I mean no disrespect to Mr. Haden nor do I write this with intended sarcasm. What I propose is an alternative approach to this critical life issue. Mr. Haden defines 'success' in the typical fashion. He doesn't define success on the basis of self-gratification and happiness. Rather, happiness is defined by how much wealth and 'stuff' one can accumulate. He does not come right out and say this; rather, he states 'Do What You Love' is horrible advice because "telling someone to follow their passion...has probably resulted in more failed businesses than all recessions combined." As if that matters....

Mr. Haden neglects to note that not following one's passion has probably led to more divorces, greater numbers of suicides, greater numbers of depressed individuals, and more unhappiness then any other single factor. Why Mr. Haden? Because money can't buy happiness and neither does owning a successful business, if that business lacks what you love.

I use myself as an example. I was graduated from university in 1972 with degrees in History and geography, and a secondary school teaching credential. I spent 5 years preparing to teach because it is what I thought it is what I wanted to do. I taught for one semester and I hated it. I then tried various other careers including criminal justice. I held three civil service positions, four if one counts teaching. Each time I quit one of these 'jobs,' what I did flew in the face of conventional wisdom of the type Mr. Haden recommends--don't follow your passion.

I had no interests in owning a business in my 20s. I dare say the mistake capitalists make is that folks wish to be self employed. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life when I was 25 but I knew I did not wish to be like my dad: A man in a gray flannel suit. I did not want to wake up at age 45, married with 2 or 3 three children and realize then that I hated my life's choice and that my frustrations out on those I loved. In case Mr. Haden missed it, this is how too many adults feel, which is why we have such high rates of divorce, suicide, depression, and other mental illness: People wake up when they are 45 or 50, realize half their lives are gone, and they have spent it doing things they detest,

I disagree that people regret not starting a business. It has been my experience that most people simply desire respectable, responsible jobs that pay a decent salary, offer reasonable benefits, and that provides a modicum of respect. Most people do not want the risk of personal bankruptcy, the stress of meeting staff payroll, the responsibility for the financial well being of other families, and meeting payroll...in short, most folks have no interest in being a successful businessman as defined by Mr. Hayden. I certainly lacked that interest in my mid-20s. I simply needed to feel passionate about my career.

Since most people have no interest in starting a business and most folks follow conventional wisdom taking jobs for which they feel no passion, ultimately they wake up at age 45 saddened by the fact that they are not doing something else. Mr. Haden concludes this means being self employed in a career for which they hold passion. Instead, these folks find themselves with a big mortgage, thousands of dollars in credit card debt, an unhappy marriage, depression, disrespectful teens, and a life that seems to be going no where.

Many people jump to all sorts of conclusions about why they feel as they do but the one most is most common is that they did not follow their passion! Mr. Haden's advice is to ignore this sentiment for the reasons he cites. Passion is nothing to do with ultimate happiness!

I would argue that anyone who doesn't let their passions define their career path are damnable fools because in the end, life guided by money and fortune rather then true happiness is a wasted life. My advice to a young person is to determine your real passion and then let passion define your life before conventional wisdom defines your life. Don't let fear of owing a business drive drive our your passions because one can follow their passion without owning a business. Let your passion serve as your motive because the last thing you want to do is wake up at age 45 in a dead end career. You want to be in the career of your passion.

It took me 5 years to find my life path and everyone I spoke with advised I choose a different path! No one can earn a living in archaeology. Forty years later, I'm still an archaeologist. What is more, I am an archaeologist who owns their own corporation. I chose the path less followed. It was a difficult path but it made all the difference. I haven't had to 'worked' a day of my life since February 1976. Every day is a day of pleasure. I owe my career in part to my wife and I shall never forget that. I am 63 and I will never retire because I love what I do. What I do defines me as a person and I cannot imagine another career. Did my choice require risk? Sure it did. We all make choices and those choices affect the way we live for the fest of our lives. In my opinion, those who make choices on anything but passion will ultimately live to regret it.