Not every job affords the possibility of doing what you love. And people care deeply about many different things—not all of which will be how they want to earn a living. A growing body of research suggests that pursuing your passion does indeed improve well-being, but that where you do it is far less critical. In fact, several studies show that people who find joy in non-professional activities see benefits in both their careers and personal lives.
At least in the United States, this advice follows people from school and into their careers. Finding a fulfilling job was deemed nearly three times more important than having a family by the teenage respondents. Not every job affords the possibility of pursuing a passion.
In some regards, following and finding passion at work could be seen as a luxury for the privileged few — those who can afford to choose exactly the right professions. Tying work to what you are passionate about can also be harmful over the long-term. When you stake your whole self-worth on your job, you become less resilient to adverse events, such as layoffs or negative performance reviews.
It can also make it harder to switch off after working hours and get the respite necessary to regain energy for the next day. One recent study even showed that people accrued greater benefits when their personal passions and their actual work were very different. In other countries, particularly European ones, people more commonly find fulfillment outside of work.
For example, nearly half of Germans are members of at least one after-work club , which allows them to engage in favorite activities such as sports or gardening in their personal time. In the U. Why is this? Another reason for our current state of overwork is financial insecurity.
