Follow your Passion?

As a somewhat-recent graduate, I have seen countless articles about following your passion to find a job, and there is the old saying that if you 'find a job you love, you will never work a day in your life.' I think that's great in theory, but it just doesn't sit right with me for a couple reasons:

1. There are very few things that I would consider a passion of mine (Only 2 come to mind at the moment)

        I have several interests and can find entertainment / good in almost anything, but I wouldn't consider myself passionate about them. One of them being traveling - I love to see new places, learn about history, and experience new things. I also love to have place to call home, and having a day-to-day routine.  I don't think I could travel ALL the time.

2. I am too practical.

         As much as I would love to be care-free and truly a 'roll with the punches' type person, I need to have stability and a steady income.  To follow your passion may mean searching for profitable outcome of that passion, and the searching is just not something I am up for.  It's the same reason I'm not much of a sales person - I want to go to work, do the absolute best that I can while I am there, and know what that effort is worth at the end of the day (I don't think my worth is determined by my paycheck - please don't read it that way).   I like being able to plan my spending and plan ahead for big expenditures (like for traveling!).


I want to keep my passions as something extra - something to enjoy when not working.  I heard someone say one time that Americans generally 'live to work' meaning that we focus so much on going to work and working in general, and that Europeans generally 'work to live' meaning that work for them is a means to enjoy their life. They don't see that their career defines them, but rather allows them the financial ability to pursue their passions and spend their leisure time however they see fit.

That is how I want to model my career / life - my job doesn't define me, but rather gives me the opportunity to travel and explore and learn and anything else that catches my attention!