3 Reasons It's So Hard to "Follow Your Passion"

According to a recent survey of U.S. workers, only 20% report being truly passionate about work.

Most youngsters place pursuing their passion as an important goal for their future jobs. But many working people fail to pursue their passion because they didn't know how to do so.

• Passion is not acquired but is developed.
• It isn't a cakewalk.
• Passion can also make us go wandering in the wrong direction, so we have to recognize its limits.

There is a journey one has to undergo, to develop the skills, confidence and network that will allow him to experience his true calling.

A person with a fixed mindset about his passion isn't likely to explore and dive deep with curiosity and inspiration.

Passion isn't just about what you love to do, or what is fun, but what you care about. Focussing on what you care about leaves out the 'enjoyment' part and aligns your passion with your values and the impact you want to have in this world.

Passion also wanes over time, and the key to be successful in your passion is to be resilient and perseverant.

Passion leads to better performance only when others also agree with the passionate person, or if it is expressed only in the appropriate context. Your passion isn't always shared by others and is not appropriate in certain situations and circumstances which require a different set of tactics and skill-sets.

It can hamper an ongoing negotiation, in which showing that one is enthusiastic may not be desirable. Passionate employees can also be exploited by managers who can make them work more than they should, risking burnout.