The idea that we should “follow our passion” when choosing a career has become extremely popular advice. On the surface, it sounds inspiring: do what you love, and success and happiness will follow. For some fortunate individuals, this is exactly how things unfold. However, a closer look suggests the advice may be more complicated, and even misleading, than it first appears.

One problem is that many people simply do not have a clear, pre-existing passion waiting to be discovered. For them, the pressure to find it can cause anxiety rather than direction. Moreover, research suggests that passion often develops as a result of becoming skilled at something, not before it. In other words, we may come to love what we are good at, rather than the other way around.

This does not mean passion is irrelevant. Rather, it implies that building competence, staying curious and remaining open to opportunities may be a wiser strategy than waiting for a single calling to reveal itself.