Passion in Your Career

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s best career advice: “Passion isn’t enough, you’ve got to endure.” I believe "Follow your passion” is the most overhyped career advice on earth If someone’s telling you to “just follow your passion,” they’re probably already living in abundance! Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Passion usually follows mastery, not the other way around. Get good first. Then the prestige, pay, confidence, and interesting problems make you… passionate. A better playbook that I followed: Pick something you can be great at. One clear lane, real demand. Go deep for a decade. Reps > inspiration. Grit beats vibes. Measure progress, not feelings. Hard day ≠ wrong path. Work is hard, expect injustice, friction, and boredom. Earn the right to edit. Mastery buys you optionality: interesting projects, better teams, better life. Early on, balance is a tradeoff. Most meaningful careers require a season of asymmetric effort. Later, mastery lets you buy back balance, time, control, boundaries. Do your passions on weekends Don’t ask: “Do I love this today?” Ask: “Can I become great at this, and is it worth being great at?” That’s how you build a career you’re proud of and yes, one you might just become passionate about. What do you think?

Talent matters, but it’s not the only thing. And it’s often not even the main thing. Angela Duckworth’s research shows there’s a stronger predictor of success: Grit. So what is grit? It’s the combination of passion and perseverance. Grit is what keeps you going after the excitement fades. It’s what pushes you to finish what you start. And it can be learned. Duckworth breaks grit into 4 elements: 1. Deep interest – You love what you do. 2. Deliberate practice – You work hard and smart to improve. 3. Purpose – You believe your work serves something bigger. 4. Resilient hope – You don’t give up when things get hard. Why it matters: In study after study—from cadets at West Point to finalists in spelling bees—grit outperformed raw talent. It wasn’t IQ or natural ability that made the difference. It was sticking with it. And here’s the good news: Grit isn’t fixed. It’s a skill. It can be strengthened. And we can help others grow it too—through challenge, support, and meaning. The takeaway: Don’t just ask, “Am I good at this?” Ask: “Do I care enough to keep going?” “Am I willing to get better?” “Can I stay hopeful when it gets hard?” That’s grit. And that’s what leads to mastery.

We've all heard the old saying "Jack of all trades, master of none." But have you heard the full quote? "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one." I've found that being a generalist with wide-ranging interests is a real asset and incredibly valuable, especially in our rapidly changing world. The greatest generalists were the Renaissance polymaths like Leonardo Da Vinci. They made groundbreaking contributions precisely because of their curiosity about multiple disciplines. Yet, the idea that being a "generalist" is somehow anti-specialization has taken root, especially in corporate settings. The reality is that our professional journeys are rarely linear. In machine learning, there's a concept of exploration vs. exploitation that's relevant here. Exploration means trying out new solutions, and gathering more information about something unknown. Exploitation means using the knowledge you've already gained to maximize your current rewards or performance. The most effective approach cycles between the two modes. This concept applies to why being multi-passionate and deliberately cultivating a generalist mindset can enhance leadership: * Adaptable: Diverse interests make you an adaptable, shape-shifting leader, deftly navigating challenges. * Innovative: Engaging in multiple disciplines fosters cross-pollination of ideas and sparks creativity. * Visionary: A wide range of experiences sharpens strategic perspectives & foresight, and improves decision-making. Take Ginni Rometty, former CEO of IBM, whose diverse career within IBM spanned engineering, sales, marketing, and strategy. This versatility allowed her to drive major transformation initiatives by combining technical expertise with insights from non-technical roles. Specializations have a shockingly short half-life these days, especially in technology and AI fields where knowledge can become obsolete within 1-2 years. Continuously expanding your cognitive toolkit through exploration becomes crucial for long-term relevance. To be clear, this is not about being a wandering generalist but integrating varied skills while building core competencies. This versatility is a powerful asset in leadership. Embrace your inner generalist, and say yes to exploration! This mindset fuels lifelong, multi-modal learning and innovative problem-solving. Oftentimes, you'll outshine the masters of one. #creativity #innovation #mindset #leadership #skills #culture

As a creative who specializes in photography filmmaking, I usually receive emails and messages from creatives seeking advice. Over the years, I’ve written down and reminded myself of certain key points with each project. I thought it would be beneficial to share some of these ideas here on LinkedIn. 1. Debrief: After each project, taking the time to debrief is essential. Reflect on what you did to achieve the goals, identify the challenges faced, and consider how you and your team can learn from the experience. Evaluate whether your ideas were too ambitious or if the brand or client didn’t fully connect with your vision. Gathering all this information helps you refine your approach and apply these lessons to your next project, guaranteeing continuous growth and improvement. 2. Clear Communication: Establishing open and transparent communication from the start ensures that everyone is on the same page, from the production team to the client. This helps manage expectations and keeps the project moving smoothly. 3. Collaboration: Successful projects are built on collaboration. Engaging with your team, valuing their input, and working together towards a shared vision is key to creating something special. 4. Adaptability: Flexibility is crucial in creative work. Whether it’s adjusting to last-minute changes or finding creative solutions on the fly, being adaptable keeps the project on track. Remember to be Nimble! 5. Storytelling: At the core of every project is a story. Whether it’s a photo shoot or a film, the ability to tell a compelling story that resonates with the audience is what sets the work apart. Story is everything. 6. Attention to Detail: The little things matter. Paying close attention to every element—from lighting and composition to styling and post-production—elevates the final outcome. It's all in the details. 7. Client Relationships: Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients is just as important as the creative work itself. Understanding their needs, keeping them involved, and delivering on promises fosters trust and long-term partnerships. Remember no client is the same. 8. Passion and Purpose: Bringing your passion and sense of purpose to every project keeps the work authentic and impactful. It’s not just about the final product, but the process and the message behind it. This is your personal stamp and DNA don't forget it. 9. Professionalism: From meeting deadlines to maintaining a positive attitude, professionalism sets the tone for the entire project and ensures a smooth experience for everyone involved.

After ten years of studying early-stage founders, the single rarest success trait we saw wasn’t genius or vision: it was pathological determination. Not the “I work hard” kind, but rather the “I will never stop, even if it makes no rational sense” kind. At Episode 1, we’ve started thinking about how we can turn determination into a datapoint by analysing a dozen resilience signals. Across hundreds of founders, we’ve begun tagging for “persistence proxies”: a desperate desire to prove someone/something wrong, multiple previous failed ventures, early-life adversity, irrational optimism when everything around you is crumbling. Our early findings show that founders with a high determination index were significantly more likely to build bigger companies. Determination wasn’t correlated with confidence. In fact, the most determined founders often expressed more self-doubt than the average cohort. It wasn’t bravado that carried them through, it was an obsessive refusal to lose. Most people overestimate what brilliance can do and underestimate what obsession can survive.  When meeting companies, stop asking “How smart are they?” and start asking “How hard are they to kill?”

"Just follow your passion" is career advice that needs a reality check. While passion matters, success requires more: skills, demand, and practical strategy. The truth? Most successful people didn't start with a burning passion—they developed it through mastery. Instead of chasing pre-existing passions, try this actionable approach: Step 1. Skills Audit: List your natural abilities and acquired skills. What problems can you solve? Step 2. Market Research: Identify where your skills meet real demand. What will people pay for? Step 3. Interest Exploration: Find areas you're curious about, not just passionate about. Curiosity sustains learning. Step 4. Strategic Testing: Take small projects in your target area. Let competence build confidence. Step 5. Value Creation: Focus on becoming irreplaceable in your field. Rare skills command premium rewards. The formula is NOT "passion = money" but "skills + market need + consistent growth = passion & prosperity." Absolute career satisfaction comes from being excellent at something the world needs. Build your passion through deliberate skill development, not wishful thinking. What do you think? Have you experienced this passion paradox? Share your story below. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Joshua Miller #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalGrowth #Executivecoaching

It’s graduation season, and I’ve been reflecting on the lessons I wish I’d learned sooner, so I can share them with new grads. Here’s the first one: Passion is necessary, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Too often, we hear “follow your passion,” as if passion alone guarantees success or fulfillment over the course of your career. In reality, you have to consider passion alongside four other critical factors: Your unique assets (What skills, experiences, or perspectives do you bring to the table AND where do you have a genuine advantage over others? Market realities (What problems are people willing to pay to solve? Which industries are growing, and which are shrinking?) Supply & demand (Is there real demand for what you want to offer?) Timeliness fit (Ask yourself: will this path sustain your interests, values, and well-being? Is it going to position you to have a next step in the area you want to explore next?) Hopefully, this is helpful to those of you thinking about what’s next in life, from someone who has been there…just a short time ago.

We talk a lot about finding work we love. But rarely about learning to love the work we already do. Most people wait for the “perfect role,” the “right opportunity,” the “dream project.” Until then, everything feels temporary. That’s a mistake. Every phase of work has something to teach you. Every role is shaping your discipline, mindset, and standards. When you stop treating your current work as a placeholder, and start treating it as training, your relationship with it changes. You become more present. More invested. More intentional. Passion isn’t always found. Often, it’s built. By caring deeply. By improving daily. By taking pride in small things. Love for your work grows when you respect the process behind it. And once that happens, progress stops feeling forced.

Work-life balance is the wrong goal. For years, we’ve been told to chase work-life balance. But ‘balance’ suggests that work and life are competing against each other. That if one goes up, the other must come down. I don’t think that’s the right way to look at it. As an entrepreneur, there are seasons when the business needs more of you. Product launches. Funding rounds. A key hire. A crisis. Those moments aren’t failures of balance. They’re simply part of building something meaningful. The real question isn’t: “Am I perfectly balancing work and life?” It’s: “Am I protecting my energy so I can show up well in both?” Because when your health suffers, everything else eventually follows. Your decisions become poorer. Your patience gets shorter. Your creativity disappears. And the people who feel it first are often your family, your team, and your customers. Success isn’t about working lesser hours. It’s about making sure that the hours you do work are sustainable. For me, that means prioritising the non-negotiables: • Sleep over late-night emails. • Exercise, even on busy days. • Time with family that isn’t interrupted by notifications. • Recovery, not just productivity. I’ve stopped chasing balance. Instead, I focus on alignment. Building a business that supports the life I want to live, rather than one I need to escape from. Because a successful career means very little if it costs you your health or the relationships that matter most.

In the startup world, we often glamourise the ‘hustle’... When it can permanently damage your health, business and relationships. ⁠I strongly believe in the merits of hard work and creating your own luck. Even the media promotes a culture of working until you drop. ‘Only rest can wait when you retire.’ And like the workaholics we are, we flash it like a badge of honor. But there’s a dark side: 🚫 Burn out 🚫 Struggles with mental health issues 🚫 Sacrificing personal relationships. I've been there myself. So have many of my fellow founders. I worked until I physically couldn’t and ignored everything else. ❌ I started going down a spiral of terrible decisions. ❌ Health and family relationships started to suffer. ❌ Due to exhaustion, my productivity dropped. ❌ I lacked sleep and exercise. It wasn't until my missus intervened and gave me a reality check that I realised something had to change. I was working hard, but not working smart. Working this way meant diminishing returns. Remember, as a leader, to be responsible to your team, you need to stay sharp. This means prioritising self-care and balance. This means getting some sleep. I'm also grateful for my co-founder and team who support me and pick up the slack when needed. ❇️ The point is, rest is not a luxury but a necessity. We see it with high-performing individuals around us: -- Carousell’s co-founder recently stepped down to explore other pursuits. -- Rachel from Love Bonito handed CEO reigns to a trusted person. There’s no shame in sharing the load with others or taking a break. With rest and help, in fact you get much further. You and your employees are not machines. Everyone has unique working styles and motivations. There’s no one yard stick. ⁠Hustling is not a sprint or a marathon. It’s more like interval training. There are times to push hard and sprint, but there are also times to rest and recharge. Find your support system. Work with other people. Be kind to yourself. Run your own race, at your own pace. Do all of these and watch how you can go faster and further. What’s your experience with the ‘hustle’?