What do you think of the advice, follow your passion?

[Red Memories]

the classic "yes and no"

I mean if your passion is law school or something and can suffice to make you an income more power to you. But if it is sculpting you should plan for a day job so you aren't starving to death later.

I have always been an active believer in following something you love, your heart. Money isn't everything. But you should have enough to survive. So if you want to be an artist, an author, a musician, follow your heart!
But get a day job. Or double major in college so you can get a major that'll sustain you and learn what you want to know of the arts. And if not that you can buy books to teach yourself and all.

You should compromise I think is the better word. XD

 

[ceecee]

Generally it's a throw away term people use to have something to say. And hope no one asks how to figure out what your passion is, exactly.

 

[prplchknz]

I'm going for social work, but passion is fiction writing. I still write but it's hard to make money writing fiction.

 

[FemMecha]

I follow my passion and as a result have very little money. It feels like the only option for me because anything else would feel like death or at least zombie-hood.

 

[cascadeco]

It's another case of oversimplification.

I could write a lot, but it probably ends up boiling down to this.

 

[Stanton Moore]

If one truly has a passion, it cannot be resisted.

 

[citizen cane]

Obviously you want to pursue things you're passionate about in life, but it's also important to be practical. Life is usually about balance.

 

[Avocado]

Great response, I have had similar experiences. So what experience in your life that started out as a practical compromise, but turned out to be very fulfilling? Thank you again for the reply.

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Thank you for the reply. What is your passion?

My advice: Follow the money, but while doing so, try to find reasons to like what you are doing to make money.

I’ve always had lots of ideas but never anything that could be considered a passion. I now teach and make comfortable money, but part of me is itching to give law school or med school a go—its important to make money while young to have the money to enjoy later. In all honesty, though, since I have a comfortable amount of money, I may just make do with the career I have and focus on getting to retirement.

 

[Forever]

If you have ingenuity to further follow your passion then do so.

Sometimes you don’t need to compromise

 

[The Cat]

“Ladies and gentlemen, attention, please!
Come in close where everyone can see!
I got a tale to tell, it isn’t gonna cost a dime!
(And if you believe that,
we’re gonna get along just fine.)”

 

[Yuurei]

I’m sufe it’s great to have the mney and freedom to do so.

 

[phoenix31]

I think this advice is somewhat misguided if it is applied to careers. It's great if someone can make a living doing something he or she is passionate about, but that's not the case for a lot of people. I see people going into huge amounts of debt for an education toward a career field that doesn't make much money and I think it's a poor decision. For instance, I know of a kid who is very good at math and wanted to go into engineering but changed his major at the last minute to art, because someone encouraged him to "follow his passion." The chances of him having a good career with a BA in art are not really high. And he'll probably have to get his Master's degree so he can teach art, and who knows if he even enjoys teaching. So then he may be stuck in a career with low pay and tons of student debt. I think he would have been a lot smarter to pursue the engineering degree and pursue art as a passion on the side--a hobby but not a way to make money.

Sometimes, maybe a lot of times, it is sufficient to find something you are good at and can enjoy or feel challenged doing, and can make a comfortable wage doing. Steve Jobs sort of bugs me because he gives this elitist advice about following your dreams, while tons of people had to work in factories at non-satisfying jobs to make his products. It's inspiring when people are passionate about something, and I think that's a great part of life, but I don't think that necessarily has to translate into a career every time. Sometimes you just have to work, and it's not your favorite thing or the way you would choose to spend your day if you could. That's life. Not everybody gets to do everything they want. It's not even practical to assume that everybody could.

 

[highlander]

Hi, thanks to anyone who responds. So what do you think? Good advice? Cliche? Bad advice? Personally, I don't like it, but has it worn out its welcome? Thanks again to anyone who responds.

Depends on how lucrative it is. Passions can sometimes be pursued as hobbies

 

[Ashtart]

Meh. The chances of you getting screwed are high and the phrase itself looks like something from a shitty self-help book. But alas, do what you want and be prepared to deal with the results.

 

[Hiraeth]

I think once you are at a certain point where you know exactly who you are, what you want, and what your overall ability/drive for it is, following your passion is probably the better option. Some people, however, would rather take security over risk, and that's totally fine too. I would say in most cases people tend to be geared toward the former, probably because they either don't know what they truly love and/or they're uncomfortable with uncertainty. For me, I blame it on being too idealistic, yeah, but I already know the alternative of what would happen if I never follow through with it, and in the end it would be a much worst-case scenario than had I ever attempted it in the first place. Once you get to that place of knowing, doing any alternative becomes unbearably soul-sucking.

 

[1487610420]

don't follow a passion. just go through life without EVER following your passion. and then die. the end.

 

[Nomendei]

If your passion is money, then do it!

 

[Mole]

The word 'passion' is now a cliche, and is used in almost every resume.

A cliche we remember has been in too many mouths and has become stale.

 

[Avocado]

The word 'passion' is now a cliche, and is used in almost every resume.

A cliche we remember has been in too many mouths and has become stale.

Its something how I’m always a few years ahead of the curve of social trends.

 

[Tellenbach]

Depends on the time, place, person, and the passion. In general, if you are young, fairly disciplined and motivated, and living in the USA today, sure...go for it. On the other hand, if you want to rescue cats out of your apartment and you're a slob, then maybe you should find another passion.