In a post from the archive, Dave Mashburn reminds us that pursuing your passions (or telling others they should pursue their passions) is misguided.
A great deal of the obsession around the concept of passion has to do with America’s obsession with being happy.
The happiest people are not the ones who are actively pursuing happiness.
They receive it as a biproduct of doing the right things every day to build a life of meaning and purpose, contributing towards something much greater than themselves.
When recruiting, it’s better to ask questions like:
Are you willing and able to do the right things to accomplish your goals?
If you accomplish your goals, how will you be contributing to something bigger than yourself?
What level of discomfort are you willing to endure to reach your goals?
Focusing less on passion and more on purpose will help increase the quality of your hires and the satisfaction of those who work on your team.