Why "Do What You Love" Is Terrible Advice

Do What You Love.

It's got its own acronym – DWYL (try Googling it). It’s printed on cushions and plastered over inspirational JPEGs on Tumblr. It conjures up images of a utopian paradise where we all go to work skipping, sing during our lunch break, and can’t wait to go back the next day.

But it’s terrible career advice. It’s misleading. It’s elitist. It’s not even realistic. I wouldn’t dare tell anyone I care about to “Do What You Love.” Here’s why:

1. It’s Dehumanizing

If we live in a world where Do What You Love is the ultimate career goal, where does that leave anyone who doesn’t love what they do? Most people don’t love their jobs in the way they love their dogs or re-runs of The Simpsons.

If you are one of those managing to be legitimately joyous at work, then you’re one of a lucky few. As an entrepreneur, I certainly love what I do and I’m not afraid to admit it – but I also realize that I’m incredibly fortunate.

We need to think outside the bubble we live in – especially in the tech sphere I occupy here in Baltimore. All those who work manual jobs, repetitive jobs, menial jobs – what do they think about DWYL? In part, we have Steve Jobs to thank for this, since he touted the slogan during his 2005 Stanford commencement speech. Excellent for the late great turtle-necked one, but how about supply chain laborers?

The point is, too much emphasis on DWYL could leave those who don’t love their work feeling ashamed or like failures. Sure, they have a job, but do they love that job? No. So they must not be doing something right. Yet for many, doing what they love at work isn’t as important as supporting those they love at home. Who is to say one is better than the other? For those not in a position to DWYL, the obsession with it risks devaluing their work and dehumanizing them in the process.

2. It’s Inaccurate

Most people work incredibly hard, and not just those who work manual labor. While writers, coders, and real estate agents don’t have calloused hands to show for their toil, if they’re any good, they work hard. Really hard. And to tell them that they should “love it” is just plain insulting. Because working hard means dedication, focus, and constant self-improvement. And it’s impossible to love every moment of these processes without being a masochist. Sure, great work brings great rewards, but for every moment of joy, there are many more moments of banging your head against the wall, or ripping it all up and starting again. That’s the price of success. Even those we hail as the gods of DWYL – i.e., athletes and musicians – work really hard, and doubtfully love every second. Many of you have heard it, but Michael Jordan used to put in hundreds of jump shots a day between gym time in the off-season; a young Eddie Van Halen would sit on his bed practicing all night, while his brother was out dating.

3. It’s Elitist

High-status jobs are in short supply. And due to the nature of supply and demand, there are many more people who want to be CEOs, lead guitar players, and successful tech entrepreneurs than there are jobs. The vast majority of those who do get these jobs have massive advantages due to their socio-economic status, ethnicity, or just plain good looks.

In other words, it’s not a level playing field – even at the entry level, where businesses recruit via unpaid internships. This requires job hopefuls to bankroll their living costs while earning nothing. In fact, in this case, Do What You Love needs a caveat – If You Can Afford It. You’re going to need rich parents or benefactors if you want to live in NYC and work for free. What’s the advice for those who can’t afford it? Find a sugar momma/daddy? 

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So if Do What You Love isn’t good advice, what is?

Do what you’re naturally good at.

It’s not a searchable acronym and it’s not printed on cushions. But it’s great advice, backed up by social science research.

First off, studies show that the greater the mismatch between your job and your skills, the less happy you’re likely to be. In other words, if you don’t do something you’re good at (even if you “love” it), you won’t be happy.

Secondly, according to leading happiness researcher Martin Seligman, the best way to find a job that will truly satisfy you is to focus on one that aligns with your core strengths:

“One way to find work that suits your skills but still challenges you is to use your "signature strengths." Signature strengths are things like creativity, perseverance, love of learning and leadership — there’s a full list of all 24 signature strengths here, developed by Seligman. Seligman suggests that most people have three to seven "core" strengths amongst these lists, and research suggests that recognizing and applying these strengths at work leads to increased satisfaction. You can take a test to find out your signature strengths here.” 

In other words, where DWYL is vague and almost trite in its simplicity, Do What You’re Good At (DWYGA) is in many ways measurable and involved. It applies in almost every situation and it doesn’t have a minimum or maximum achievement goal. Are you naturally good with people? Consider becoming a teacher, a tour guide, or politician -- even if you hadn’t considered it before. Are you good at working with data, and don’t particularly like working with large groups of people? Consider becoming a developer. Social science research also suggests that just because you’re not good at a specific task now (i.e. Ruby on Rails), doesn’t mean you won’t be in the future -- as long as it aligns with one of your signature strengths.

The point is, it can be an easy out to just say, “Do what you love!” It’s supported in the culture but in reality can ultimately lead to feelings of worthlessness, confusion, and desperation.

By contrast, offering, “DWYGA” can require some research and reflection. It means suggesting that someone take the time to consider what their natural strengths are, and then seeing which jobs align with those.

So the next time you see a cushion that says Do What You Love, ponder, perhaps, the person who made it. Do they love their job? What would your advice be to them? 

#DWYGA !

I'd love to hear your comments below or share/connect with me direct: Tom(at)OpiaTalk

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Tom is Founder & CEO of OpiaTalk, the hyper-conversion company in Baltimore, MD. We're experts at combining FOMO (fear of missing out) with urgency giving visitors a reason to buy RIGHT NOW. Our flagship product releases ‘disappearing promos’ — think Snapchat for eCommerce.