The Algebra of Wealth: Don’t follow your passion — Follow your talent
Building wealth is the product of many small decisions, but also some big ones. Some of the most important choices you’ll make will be about your career — what field to pursue, what companies to work for. I look at this from several angles in The Algebra of Wealth, but the most important career advice I can offer is this.
DON’T FOLLOW YOUR PASSION — FOLLOW YOUR TALENT
If someone tells you to follow your passion, it means they’re already rich. And typically, they made their fortune in some unglamorous industry like iron ore smelting.
For most young people, “follow your passion” isn’t actionable. By one estimate, only 20% can even identify a singular passion they want to follow. If you have one, it’s probably in one of the creative fields, industries that are notoriously exploitative of young, idealistic workers. Only 2% of professional actors make a living from their craft, the 97th percentile of YouTube creators generate enough views to make a mere $15,000 per year. What’s much more likely than finding success following your passion is that making your passion a career will spoil it, turning it into a thing you do for (little) money, not love.
Sustained, rewarding passion is something you build, like wealth, by applying hard work to your talents. Unlike passion, talent is observable and testable; it can be more readily converted into a high‑earning career, and it gets better the more you exploit it. Your mission is to find something you’re good at and apply the thousands of hours of grit and sacrifice necessary to become great at it. As you get there, the feeling of growth and your increasing mastery of your craft, along with the economic rewards, recognition, and camaraderie, will make you passionate about whatever “it” is. Follow your talent and passion will follow.
