2 Stanford professors explained why telling people to 'follow your passion' is a bad idea
Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans argue that the common advice to 'follow your passion' is often counterproductive and confusing for most people. They suggest that individuals should instead focus on curiosity and 'prototyping' small career experiments to find direction.
Why it matters
This perspective challenges a pervasive cultural narrative about career development, offering a more practical, low-stakes approach to professional life.
Burnett and Evans say the pressure to find one all-consuming passion can make career uncertainty worse. Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans argue that "follow your passion" is bad advice. Most people don't have a single passion so the advice is often confusing, they say. On the "Prof G Podcast," Burnett also questioned the idea of your college degree setting your life's direction. "Follow your passion" has become one of the most repeated pieces of career advice. But Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, Stanford professors and the authors of 'Designing Your Life,' think it can send people in the wrong direction. "It's probably the worst advice you can give somebody," Burnett said during a live recording of the " Prof G Podcast" with Scott Galloway released on Thursday.
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