According to a career report published last year, only 20 percent of Americans are passionate about their jobs, while 49 percent indicated being satisfied with the work they do. It’s true that not all passions can turn into full-time profitable career paths, but that doesn’t mean that individuals can’t develop passions for the jobs they work—but it also doesn’t mean that will be the outcome.
Sacramento-area resident Ashley English said it’s important for a person to be happy in his or her job to the extent that he or she doesn’t dread each workday.
“You need to be doing work that stimulates and challenges you,” she said. “Even if you aren’t passionate about it, if you are learning new things and enjoying meeting new goals, I think that can be enough and furthers you as an individual.”
And sometimes people wind up in careers simply because they pay well or at least are substantial enough to provide for those who work in them. Craig Stewart, who lives in the U.K., said he believes that it’s important to be passionate about your job as long as you can earn more than a certain amount to pay for basic living expenses.
“If you can’t afford food, house, etc., I don’t think it matters, because it’s more about being able to afford to live, and you don’t need to enjoy [your work],” he said.
Stewart also pointed out that if a person is miserable and often stressed in his or her career, that unhappiness can impact life outside of work, including in one’s family. He said the issue can become more troublesome the longer the individual remains in that field.
“You are less likely to progress in your career if you hate your job, as you’ll be unmotivated,” he said, “which will mean you’ll end up being in that job longer, unless you have the confidence to quit and change jobs.”
However, if a person does find himself or herself in a profession that doesn’t necessarily spark passion and excitement, English said there are certainly still other ways to pursue interests in other areas of life.
“Sometimes that’s in volunteer work or who you donate to,” she said. “There are jobs out there that no one will ever be passionate about but, of course, have to be done. I think it would be horrible to think we all should be passionate about our jobs because then that means some people are in the wrong field. In reality, though, if they don’t mind the work and are challenging themselves and finding their passions elsewhere, I think that’s more sustainable for people’s overall happiness. After all, there is so much more to life than work.”
While there are plenty of other aspects of life than careers, people spend a large portion of their waking hours working—which is one reason why Stewart said a person’s job can have a powerful impact on his or her life, in general.
“If you don’t have hobbies outside of work, I think it’s even more important, as you won’t have other things to look forward to after work and on weekends,” he said.
English also acknowledged the significant amount of time people spend at their jobs (and, if going into a workplace, with their coworkers) every week and said, as a result, careers are vital to overall happiness.
“If you are miserable there, it’s going to negatively impact the rest of your life,” she said. “It’s important to me to feel fulfilled in my work but also have a work-life balance that lets me pursue other passions, hobbies, and—of course, most importantly—time with loved ones.”
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