Follow Your Passion Is Terrible Advice

I commonly hear people telling others to "Follow Their Passion." I don't think this is good advice, and in this video, I explain exactly why.

Robert Greene is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, The Laws of Human Nature, and most recently, The Daily Laws.

Follow Me on Social Media:

#passion #selfhelp #advice #robertgreene #power #selfhelpbooks #books

[richardsadventures]

Being honest with myself and looking back on my life, I must confess that many of my passions were actually just dreams of my ego.

[riosaputra]

"Everyone must choose one of two pains. The pain of discipline or the pain of regret."

[Mr.Honest]

The problem with “follow your passion” is it limits what you can become because you’ll always be like “Well if I don’t enjoy it, then I won’t do it.” And that thing you’re not passionate about that you’re avoiding because you’re not passionate about it, may evolve you as a person, make you a more well rounded and better person and it can add to your life!

[Ari_diwan]

" It's going to take me 5 years, but the rewards are fantastic, I don't need to be passionate about it but I need to be consistent " 🙌👏

[SHANONisRegenerate]

"I love this so much i am willing to put up with the pain involved", that line really resonates with me Robert. I am patiently suffering towards my Dreams.

[Morbutt]

My understanding of "passion" is basically a life's calling that you feel intensely compelled to do. You can be passionate about something while still learning to embrace the suck of the hard work and focus it requires to get it done

[sonicgems]

Robert Greene is definitely one of the most important public intellectuals today. His insight is so needed.

[josefvostry]

Most helpful video I’ve seen in my life. Now I’m clear on what I should dedicate my life to. The one thing that I can do for hours, weeks, months, even years while enduring pain and frustration, because the fulfillment at the end is greater than any momentary pleasure that exists on this planet. Heck, I even spend money to continue working on this one thing when I’m abroad. And that is the piano 🎹 💙

[HeadsetHead]

I was told at age 10 that I couldn't do what I wanted to do for a living due to a medical condition. I've been wandering through life for the last 30 years trying to figure out what to do. When he said if he couldn't do what he wanted to do he would rather kill himself, I felt that.

[humorustrout.]

I appreciate the break-down of this topic because when I usually hear the "don't follow your passion" advice, I would think of Roberts advice being the opposite, of needing to love what you're pursuing in life in order to make it through difficult times and move towards success over time. Maybe "chase your fulfillment" is a better way to define it. Thank you Robert

[RogerioLupoArteCientifica]

As someone who pursued what I was passionate about, I can testify something. Indeed tedious tasks are part of the path. But actually our true passion permeates even these moments. Even when we have to go through tough times, figure out some technique, some procedure, or fix some issue, there's excitement and trust in our own capacity of doing it. We're standing on a ground that brings to the surface an inner character in us that feels inspired and confident. This is because the process engages and excites us just like the achievement of the final result, or eventually even more than that.

If one feels like replacing the word passion, I propose the word 'curiosity'. Although subtle and "humble", this sense of curiosity is definitely something that moves me with unavoidable and consistent power. Even when there are painful or boring moments along the path, there's still something exciting and full of hope and eagerness. Because among all the potentially boring and painful tasks in the world, at the very least I'm hurting and getting bored about my deepest calling, my highest value, my true vocation and love. The solid ground for that to happen is following this deep inner calling.

[captainnemonic]

Thanks for your valuable perspective. These concepts remind me something offered up by David Goggins: “Motivation is crap. Motivation comes and goes. When you are driven, whatever is in front of you will get destroyed.” Motivation is akin to passion. Being driven is akin to connecting a deeper meaning.

[Ronald]

I saw the heading of this video and became curious, thinking: "What is wrong with passion?" Then I click on the video to find out that there is nothing wrong with passion, it is just a matter of word choice. For me, passion is still part of the whole. Following your passion does not automatically mean that you give up when it is temporarily gone. How you label what you feel inside does not really matter to me. Call it passion, calling, whatever. I personally like the word passion.

[ideapage]

Actually follow your passion is excellent advice. My mother gave me a camera when I was 5-years old. There was a photo darkroom in our house. My father started teaching me to pay guitar when I was age 6. Photography and playing music were my two passions. As things turned out, ...

...I made a decent living as a musician for about 15 years, and about halfway through those years, I started a photography business. Within a couple years I had two other photographers working for me, and that eventually grew to 5 others. Next came a large studio with 3 camera rooms, and early adoption of digital photography in the mid 1990s.

Today, I’m age 75, been retired for 15 years, and my wife is retired from her law profession. We still go to Utah to snow ski during the winter. We’ve had a wonderful time together, and continue to do so. Yes, follow your passion.

[odysseynoone]

I think Hollywood movies programmed us to imagine that the path to success is supposed to be something dramatic, filled with passion and big actions, and that through a few weeks or months of work we will transform into success stories who then become the center of everyone's attention.

[MeiraArtCreations]

Totally agree! Thank you for that clarification. It actually helps me clarify for myself that I don’t need to desire to work on my art everyday in order to create

[nitirajdaby]

What a generous spirit this man Robert Greene has for showing us light at the end of the tunnel !

[rogerredford]

There are people, and I am one, that do not have a calling. My interests come and go. Many things which I once enthusiastically embraced at some point fade into the background to be replaced by a new interest or hobby. Sometimes these are revisited if interest is peaked again, and at other times they disappear for ever. A bit like a bee visiting flower to flower, never really settling on one for a very long time. And that is alright.. don't let people tell you that you are any less of a person because you have no calling or passion. I have experience gained in a hundred different things, and while I can say I never really 'mastered' any, I have gathered a broad range of diverse knowledge. I feel this makes me a more rounded human being than if I had spent my life in a single pursuit. I'm 60 this year, and while I admire the dedication of those who have worked a lifetime on their singular calling, I have no regrets..

[adamblade]

I like to define passion as "something I strive for despite obstacles and painful moments."

[mylesanthony]

I'm sat here in the students union study rooms, doing my accounting exam prep, the company I work for gave me time off. I'm an apprentice for Deloitte. I had a wobble day 3 of revision. "I like music, philosophy, art - not number" I thought - But upon reflection as to why I'm here, coupled with your wisdom, I now understand I feel connected to order and the power of money, invisioning a high score in my test makes me feel driven to study and get things wrong and start again and again.