Why “Follow Your Passion” Career Advice Does Not Work! – Jane Jackson Career

“Follow Your Passion” This well-meaning guidance leaves mid-career professionals confused and financially stressed

Have you been given career guidance along the lines of “Follow Your Passion”?

From my experience as a career coach, I know that ‘Follow Your Passion’ is professional advice that sounds magical but can leave you confused and with empty pockets.

You may think this a little strange coming from someone who helps people find meaningful work, so let me explain.

My Personal Wake-Up Call: When Passion Meets Reality

I remember speaking with my high school careers counsellor, feeling completely overwhelmed by all the possibilities ahead of me. He calmly looked at me and confidently said, “Jane, pursue your passion. The money will follow.”

It felt like wisdom from a movie. Inspiring, empowering, and obvious. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

But at that time, being so young and still living at home, I had no idea what I was truly enthusiastic about, nor how much money I would actually need in the ‘real world’.

At that time I needed to decide on the course of study I’d pursue if I went to University. I enjoyed drawing and art so I thought that must be my calling and chose graphic design and technical illustration. I took myself off, all the way from Hong Kong to Minnesota to pursue what I believed was my ‘purpose’.

As it turned out, I wasn’t actually very good at what I thought I was enthusiastic about!

Upon graduation and returning home to Hong Kong, I soon discovered the profession didn’t pay very well for junior designers (especially junior designers who lacked amazing artistic talent). I realised that I hadn’t done enough research before heading off to America to further my studies.

What I was actually skilled at, and found energising, was organising projects, communicating with people, writing, developing strategies to get things accomplished, and completing initiatives within tight deadlines.

So, my first job after graduation was as a PR Assistant at Corporate Communications Ltd. in Hong Kong. It was very different from pursuing what I thought was my calling a few years earlier. And that PR position offered much better compensation to start with than what a junior designer would earn at that time!

Building a Solid Foundation for Career Success

Here’s what nobody discusses when they offer that “pursue your calling” guidance: you need a foundation first. And I don’t mean just emotional readiness, I mean the practical elements. Like being able to purchase groceries without needing to check your bank balance first. Yes, I very quickly discovered that financial security does matter!

Have you heard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

At the very bottom of that famous pyramid are our physiological needs: food, shelter, safety. Then comes security, including financial stability.

Only after these basics are covered can we genuinely focus on the higher-level aspects like belonging, esteem, and discovering our life’s purpose and true interests.

When you’re lying awake at 2am worried about whether you can manage your next month’s rent, your professional calling doesn’t seem to matter anymore. You’re probably frantically scrolling through job boards for anything that will cover the bills.

Money coach Oz Chen expresses it perfectly:

“If I’m worried about going homeless, I won’t be too concerned with self-actualisation.”

The foundation has to be solid before you can construct the beautiful rooms above.

What the Japanese Understand About Career Fulfilment

This is where the concept of ikigai becomes a game-changer for professional development. You’ve probably seen those lovely diagrams circulating on social media with four overlapping circles that promise to reveal your life’s purpose.

What most people miss is this: ikigai isn’t just about enthusiasm or interests.

Ikigai exists at the intersection where four important elements meet:

• What you love (your interests and enthusiasm)
• What you’re skilled at (your strengths and abilities)
• What the world needs (your potential contribution)
• What you can be compensated for (your earning potential)

Notice that last element? What you can be compensated for. That’s not accidental, it’s essential for sustainable career satisfaction.

The Western interpretation of “pursue your calling” obsesses over just one circle. But ikigai insists that all four must overlap for genuine fulfilment. It’s like attempting to bake a cake with only flour. You might be enthusiastic about that flour, but you’re not creating a cake.

The Four Essential Elements for Professional Success

Passion represents what energises you, what makes time disappear when you’re engaged in it.

Mission reflects how you want to create positive change, the challenges you’re drawn to solve.

Profession encompasses what you’re naturally talented at, your developed skills and abilities.

Vocation covers the practical aspect: what skills and services people will actually compensate you for.

When these four elements overlap, transformation happens. But here’s what changes everything: you don’t have to begin with enthusiasm. You can start from ANY of these circles and work toward the others.

Starting Your Career Transition Where You Actually Are

Maybe you’re incredibly skilled at project management and there’s strong market demand for it, but you haven’t figured out how to make it meaningful or enjoyable yet. That’s perfectly acceptable, you can build from financial stability toward purpose.

Or perhaps you’re enthusiastic about mental health advocacy and recognise a real need for it, but you need to develop marketable skills and discover paying opportunities. The key is being honest about which circles you’ve already established and which ones require development.

This approach is especially important if you’re considering a professional transition. You probably have financial responsibilities that include your mortgage, children, aging parents, and lifestyles you’ve built. The research is clear: when our basic security needs aren’t met, we simply cannot focus on higher-level needs like purpose and meaning.

A More Realistic Approach to Career Change

Instead of dramatic leaps of faith, try this systematic approach:

Start with Security

Ensure your foundation is solid through current employment or savings before making significant moves.

Explore Systematically

Look for areas where your circles might overlap. This often means beginning with side projects or gradual transitions rather than burning bridges.

Build Intentionally

As you develop skills and discover opportunities that fulfil more of your ikigai elements, you can make informed moves toward greater alignment.

The Real Secret: Be Observant, Thoughtful and Patient

The most fulfilled professionals I work with haven’t necessarily pursued their calling in a straight line. Instead, they’ve thoughtfully woven together what they love with what works practically. They’ve discovered ways to bring meaning into work that also compensates well and utilises their strengths.

Sometimes this looks like finding enthusiasm within practical work. Sometimes it’s making practical work serve meaningful purposes. And sometimes it’s developing skills in areas of interest until they become profitable.

Career Assessment: Where to Start Right Now

Before making any dramatic professional moves, take an honest assessment of where you stand in all four areas:

• What genuinely energises you, makes you smile, and causes time to fly by? (Passion)
• What feels natural and effortless for you? (Profession)
• What challenges do you notice that need solving? (Mission)
• What skills could people compensate you for? (Vocation)

You’re not seeking perfect overlap immediately, you’re gaining career clarity on your starting point so you can make thoughtful moves towards achievable professional satisfaction.

Frequently Asked Questions About Career Transitions

Q: What if I can’t identify my passion? A: Start with Career Clarity and identify your strengths or market needs instead. Enthusiasm often develops as you become skilled at valuable work.

Q: How long should a career transition take? A: Most successful transitions happen over 6-18 months, allowing time to build skills and financial security.

Q: Is it too late to change careers in my 40s or 50s? A: Absolutely not. Mid-career professionals bring valuable experience and often have clearer priorities than younger workers.

The Bottom Line on Career Satisfaction

Enthusiasm matters, of course it does. But it’s not the entire story. True career satisfaction comes from building a professional life where purpose and practicality support each other, not where one sacrifices the other.

Your professional dreams deserve a solid foundation. Build wisely, move thoughtfully, and remember: the most sustainable career changes happen one careful step at a time.

If you need support to gain career clarity, let’s have a conversation about how career coaching can build your confidence to make the right professional decision.

Take Your Next Step Toward Career Fulfillment

Jane Jackson helps mid-career professionals create meaningful work that actually provides financial security.

Ready to explore your own ikigai without risking financial stability in the process?

Gain affordable and accessible career coaching support on-demand through my online career courses, webinars, career assessments and practical guidance by joining my CAREER SUCCESS PROGRAM . I’ll keep you accountable with monthly live Zoom group coaching webinars too!

For personalised one-on-one Career Coaching, book a consultation call and let’s discuss your situation today.