Ramit Sethi challenges the common advice to "follow your passion," arguing that passion is often a vague excuse that doesn't provide concrete career guidance. He reframes the problem: instead of waiting to feel passionate, choose a skill that companies pay for and commit to becoming exceptional at it, noting that passion can emerge after competence and recognition.
Everybody give me passion. That way, when I find this passion that has to magically float down from heaven and enter itself into my mouth. Ah, now I know exactly what to do with my career. Does passion tell you exactly what your dream job title is? Does passion tell you what your dream role is? Your dream company? Does passion tell you what to say when the interviewer says, why should we hire you? No. Passion is often a word that we use to abstract away all the hard work that we can actually do ourselves. Here's a little reframe for you. Sometimes when you get really good at your job and you are paid well and respected, you become passionate about it. So here's a better way. Pick a skill that companies pay for and commit to becoming exceptional at it.
