“Follow your passion” is one of the most common pieces of advice given to young people today. It appears in graduation speeches, self-help books and countless social media posts. The message is simple and appealing: if you do what you love, success and happiness will naturally follow. But is this really good advice, or is it a comforting myth that can sometimes do more harm than good?

There is certainly something to be said for it. People who are genuinely interested in their work tend to be more motivated, more creative and more willing to put in the long hours that success often requires. Someone who loves what they do is less likely to feel that work is a burden, and this enthusiasm can be contagious, inspiring colleagues and customers alike. Few people would choose a career that bores them if a more exciting option were available.

However, a growing number of thinkers argue that “follow your passion” is flawed advice. One problem is that many people, especially the young, do not yet have a clear passion to follow. Telling them that they simply need to find it can create anxiety and a sense of failure. Another problem is that passions do not always translate into viable careers. A love of a particular sport or art form does not guarantee that one can earn a living from it, and the world is full of talented, passionate people who struggle financially.

Some experts suggest a different approach. Rather than following a pre-existing passion, they argue, we should aim to become genuinely good at something valuable. According to this view, passion is not the cause of a satisfying career but its result. As we develop rare and useful skills, we gain a sense of mastery, independence and respect, and it is these things that make work meaningful. In other words, passion often follows effort, rather than the other way around.

Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between. Ignoring your interests entirely and choosing a career purely for money is a recipe for misery, but chasing a passion with no regard for whether it can support you is equally unwise. The most sensible path may be to look for the overlap: an area that genuinely interests you, that you can become skilled at, and that other people are willing to pay for. Passion matters, but on its own it is rarely enough.