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Should you try getting a job related to something you're passionate about, or will it ruin it for you?

I've seen a handful of artists say things about how having jobs where they have to make art constantly has made them stop liking it. I was wondering if this is a common way for people to end up feeling. I also would like to know if it's only in the creatives, or if things like sports, engineering, healthcare, etc have the same problem. Should I/others looking for a job still try pursuing something we're passionate about, or will we end up hating our interest?

I would like to have multiple perspectives on this, so even if you have very little to say I would genuinely appreciate you sharing what you do have. I wanna see all of the different opinions people have about this, it'll help me a lot.

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Xavier’s Answer

You should absolutely pursue work that you are passionate about, because fulfillment and long-term success are closely tied to genuine interest and curiosity. In today’s world, there are more career paths available than ever before, many of which did not exist just a decade ago. This creates an incredible opportunity to explore fields that align with your interests, strengths, and values rather than feeling confined to a single, traditional path. Start by identifying the top few areas that genuinely excite you—subjects, problems, or industries that you naturally want to learn more about. From there, take intentional steps to explore those interests through internships, research projects, volunteer work, or part-time roles. Seek out mentors who work in fields you admire and ask them about their journeys, challenges, and lessons learned. Use resources like university career centers, alumni networks, LinkedIn, and professional associations to gain exposure and guidance.

Don’t underestimate the value of informational interviews, job shadowing, or online learning platforms to test your interests before fully committing. Remember that career paths are rarely linear, and it is okay—and often beneficial—to pivot as you learn more about yourself. Focus on building transferable skills such as communication, problem-solving, and adaptability, which will serve you across many roles. With curiosity, discipline, and the willingness to explore, you can design a career that is both meaningful and uniquely your own.

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John’s Answer

Hi Kero,
There's an old saying attributed to the English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson: "It is better to have tried and failed than to live life wondering what would have happened." Please don't worry about or try to second guess the future - there are plenty of people who are examples of both cases - doing what they love their whole lives and never looking back or having a regret; or starting something they thought they'd love and getting burned out. Here are some famous examples of musicians with previous or other careers:

Kurt Cobain: Worked as a janitor.
Tom Araya (Slayer): Worked as a respiratory therapist.
Serj Tankian (System of a Down): Owned a software company.
Brandon Flowers (The Killers): Worked as a bellhop at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Rick Ross: Worked as a prison guard in Florida.
Morrissey: Worked as a filing clerk for the Inland Revenue in Manchester.
Freddie Mercury: Ran a clothes stall in London's Kensington Market.
Björk: Worked in a fish factory.
Gene Simmons (KISS): Worked as a sixth-grade teacher.
Ozzy Osbourne: Worked in a slaughterhouse.
Brian May (Queen): Holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics.
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden): Commercial airline pilot.
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (Doobie Brothers/Steely Dan): Defense and security consultant.
Dan Spitz (Anthrax): Became a watchmaker.
Terminator X (Public Enemy): Ostrich farmer.
Jim Martin (Faith No More): Competitive giant-pumpkin farmer.
Charles Ives: Famous classical composer who worked in the insurance industry.

In my case, I learned piano from the age of five, started working as a musician at 15, and just always knew that would be what I loved best. But then my music career was interrupted by war and a military career, family, and other financial pressures. But when I finally retired with enough resources to live - I went back to music and have been doing it full time ever since - and still loving every minute of it.

My advice is that there is no "right" or "wrong" path - just follow what gives you joy, and you'll never be sorry.

Good luck on your journey - you're going to do great!
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Elizabeth’s Answer

Hi Kero!
I'm a pianist/singer-songwriter and ever since I was a child, music is all I ever wanted to do. I went to college as a piano major, but found myself being drawn more to songwriting. I've never earned a steady living as a musician, but during the times I did earn money, I couldn't have been happier with any other job. I never get tired of creating (whether I'm earning money from it or not). If you really love what you're doing, I feel it will make you want to do it more, not less. That's just how I feel, though. I hope you'll find the path that works best for you! It's a journey, and it's your journey, so if you feel you want to step back sometimes to see where your heart is really leading you, that might help. Whatever you do, wishing you all the very best! God bless you!
Elizabeth
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Joseph’s Answer

I imagine that's especially an issue in the arts - I dabble in art as a casual hobby, but wouldn't want to pursue it as a career in the slightest bit. That might not be true for everyone though - I'm sure some enjoy it as a job.

It's certainly not a given that doing something as a job ruins it for you. My actual job is one I have a real passion for, and it makes "work" feel less of a chore and more just an activity I do during the day that's fascinating! If you can find something like that for you, I think that's the ideal for a career. I'd hate to be doing something I didn't like at all just for the paycheck at the end of the month.
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Paul’s Answer

That's a tough question, but a good one. Let me share my experience as an artist. I've loved art since I was a kid, always drawing with a pencil in hand. I always saw myself as an artist. Despite trying to find a career that matched my passion, I ended up with two jobs in industrial manufacturing. These jobs paid the bills but often felt like a chore. I worked as a supervisor for a big company, earning well and performing well, but I lacked passion for it. I've been retired for nearly six years now, and I've dedicated my time to art. I'm getting commissions and invitations to art shows, which are very fulfilling. I love it because it's my true passion. If I ever stop enjoying it, then it wasn't my real passion. I hope you get my point, Kero!
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Robert’s Answer

I think the answer does depend on what it is you love. I love repairing things, and love being able to earn a living doing it! I have not gotten tired of it, but routine things that I do over and over again have gotten to be more of a grind than a joy. (I fix scientific instrumentation, which has a lot of variety...but there are still some things I have to do over and over. I decided not to go into auto repair after shadowing an independent mechanic and seeing how many brake jobs he had to do in a week, and how much of his work was the same thing over and over again.) The pressure of having to earn a living often does force you into taking on things that you don't have a passion for, even if they are in your passion area. I got into my field after working a "normal job" for quite a few years, so I had a lot of savings and didn't have to make money to survive. That made going out on my own a LOT less stressful, and allowed me to pick and choose what I did, turning away work that I wouldn't enjoy (whether that was because of what needed doing, or who I was to do it for, or where I had to go to do it). It also allows me to dabble in other areas when I don't have a scientific instrument to fix or just want to try something new. (I've done IT, appliance repair, handyman, clock repair, etc. But I haven't found I'm as passionate about these, which is why I still do mostly scientific instrument repair work.)
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Mary Ann’s Answer

There's no rule in life that says you need to just pick one thing. So, I'm going to give you a few examples from people I know.

1st, I have a brother that is a professional musician. It's what he loves doing and he's really good at what he does. Music has always been his primary source of income. When he was starting out, he had a job at a record store (still music related) doing the payroll and a few other things. But once he was established, playing music has continued to be his primary source of income (He now owns some different rental properties that provide him income as well). He's been a studio musician where he's played on albums of people you or your parents have likely heard of. He's played on movie soundtracks. He's toured with some different headliners as part of their band. Sometimes, he's hired to play just one song at a concert. Once, he was hired to show up at a show, play one note on a triangle, and then he could leave. Another time, someone flew him to another city because he was the only person in the United States who knew how to play a particular instrument. He played the couple of songs they needed and then they flew him home. (Like I said, he's really good at what he does) And, for the last 25 years, he's been part of a Broadway Show tour where he changes cities every 4-6 weeks. His love for music has sustained this whole time.

2nd, a woman I work with built a career in the technology industry. She's worked primarily in sales, but has had some different roles. However, her real passion was working with young people helping them to reduce stress and anxiety in their lives. So, she started a non-profit organization where she uses horses to help young people find their calm. She still has her day job in tech, but leverages the company's policies about giving back to manage and participate in the day to day activities of her non-profit organization. She loves doing both.

3rd, I have a cousin who is a photographer. Specifically, he's a surfing photographer specializing in photos for big wave surf competitions like Mavericks in Northern California. He also travels to take photos at events in Hawaii, Portugal, Australia and a couple of other places. He did not set out to be a photographer. His life path led him to this and he found something that he really loved doing with a community of people that he refers to as his tribe. He always like photography, but never really thought about it as a career. In his case, his passion comes with a great community of people, travel, and incorporates some of his life experience with search and rescue. And while he does the surf photos as a career, he still loves taking pictures of the sunset, or a beautiful landscape. Occasionally, he photographs people, too. But for the most part, his photography focuses on natures. Making photography a career has not dampened his joy for taking photos just for fun.

I could go on with examples of people I know who love technology, architecture, gardening, and pretty much any field. If you really love doing something, you can make it your source of income. You may need to get creative about how you do "the thing" to earn a living and have a separate time to do "the thing" just for fun. But, it can be done.
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Joe’s Answer

I love this question. I think the answer is yes... sort of. I once heard the following, which makes a lot of sense for me: figure out a job/career that is interesting to you (your passion), that is valued by others (good pay), and that you are good at (you can succeed). If you can get all three of those, you are in the right role.
And if you are passionate about it, it will definitely make it easier to put in the work to succeed over time.
Good luck!
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Melissa’s Answer

I would always vote find what drives and energizes you--and try as many experiences as possible to find out what that means. Once you have an understanding of what that is...pursue it, everyone who I know who has done that has loved the career decisions they made. People's careers usually take many twists and turns--knowing what your passion is will serve as your foundation for when you need to make decisions on what career option to pursue. Best of luck and GREAT question!
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Leonardo’s Answer

I think this can honestly go both ways, and it depends a lot on the person, the work environment, and how much pressure gets attached to the passion.

For some people, turning a passion into a career is incredibly fulfilling. They enjoy waking up every day doing something they genuinely care about, and that passion helps them stay motivated through difficult moments. This happens in creative fields, engineering, healthcare, sports, technology, and many other careers.

At the same time, I do think it is common for people to feel burnout when something they once loved becomes tied to deadlines, money, expectations, or constant performance. For example, artists may stop creating for themselves because they are always creating for clients. Athletes can lose enjoyment when competition becomes pressure. Even people in healthcare or engineering sometimes feel emotionally exhausted after years in demanding environments.

I think the important thing is learning how to separate your identity and personal joy from your job. You can love something and still protect parts of it for yourself. For example, someone who works in art may still keep a personal creative hobby outside of client work. Someone in technology may still explore projects just for fun.

My advice would be not to avoid your passions out of fear of ruining them, but also not to assume passion alone will make a career easy. A healthy balance, good boundaries, and realistic expectations matter a lot. Sometimes the best career is directly connected to your passion, and other times it is something adjacent that still gives you stability while allowing you to enjoy your interests outside of work.

There is not one correct answer, which is why hearing different perspectives is valuable. The good news is that careers are flexible — people can always pivot, rediscover interests, and redefine what success means to them over time.
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Kelly’s Answer

Hi Kero,

This is a really thoughtful question, and I’m glad you’re asking it, because the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all.

I’ll share my own experience, because it might help give you another perspective.

I’m a filmmaker, and I worked in Los Angeles for about four years. That’s kind of like being in the “major leagues” of the industry.

But here’s the important part: that wasn’t actually my original plan. I always wanted to teach. LA was more of a detour. I had an opportunity, I took it, and I learned from it. But I realized pretty quickly it wasn’t the right long-term fit for me.

I went to school to be creative. I didn’t go to school to be famous. And the reality of working in that environment was:
- Not every project was creatively fulfilling
- There was a constant hustle to find the next job
- The pressure changed how the work felt

That doesn’t mean it was bad. it just wasn’t aligned with what I wanted.

WHAT I DO NOW
I’m now an Associate Professor of Film Production and it's the most amazing thing ever!

Working with students and helping them create and craft their projects honestly feels a bit like being Charlie in the Chocolate Factory. I got the golden ticket!

I get to:
- Help students bring their ideas to life
- Engage with storytelling every day
- Stay connected to the creative process

At the same time, I work on my own creative projects in my free time. That balance is what works for me.

WHY THIS MATTERS
Having a full-time teaching job means:
- I’m not relying on every creative project to pay my rent
- I can choose projects that genuinely interest me
- I can protect my creativity instead of feeling pressured by it
- I can work with students and help them create, which energizes me! I get that spark every single day I'm in the classroom

So instead of losing my passion, I’ve built a structure that supports it.

YOU CAN BUILD YOUR OWN VERSION OF THIS
There are many ways to approach this:
- You might work directly in your passion full-time
- You might work in a related role (like teaching or something adjacent)
- You might keep your passion as something you do independently

For example:
- Someone could teach art and still create their own work
- Someone could work in media and still make personal films
- Someone could have a different job and still create on the side

As long as you have a way to express that part of yourself, it doesn’t disappear.

FINAL THOUGHT
Turning a passion into a job doesn’t automatically ruin it, but it does change it though.

The key is finding a setup that works for you. For me, that meant realizing what actually fit my personality and my goals, and adjusting.

You don’t have to follow one specific path. You can build something that fits who you are.
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Justina’s Answer

It really depends on the situation. Some people turn what they love into a job and lose the joy because of deadlines, pressure, and expectations. This can happen in any field, whether it's creative, healthcare, or engineering. But when you work on things you care about in the right environment, with some control and balance, it can be very rewarding. Passion alone isn't enough; it's important to enjoy the daily tasks, be good at them, and maintain balance. Some passions are better as hobbies, while others can be great careers. It's about deciding how much you want your passion connected to your paycheck.
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Christine’s Answer

My advice is to choose training and a career that genuinely interests you, but also be practical. Passion can keep you motivated when things get difficult, but passion alone is not enough. Consider whether the field offers opportunities for growth, stability, and the ability to support your long-term goals.

The best career choices often combine four things: what you enjoy, what you are good at, what the job market needs, and what can provide financial security. When those factors align, you are more likely to find both personal satisfaction and professional success.

Do not be afraid of a path that requires additional training or certification if it leads to a career you truly want. The effort invested in developing your skills today can create opportunities that benefit you for years to come.

Follow your interests, develop your abilities, and make decisions that support both your passion and your future.
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Keith’s Answer

I think Xavier has hit the nail right on the head.
I’ve been in the music business for over thirty years and you can’t imagine how many friends have come to simply hate the rejection and the grind. In the end they’ve all found other careers that they are passionate about.
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Lemerio’s Answer

It's great to get a job related to something you are passionate about, but it also helps to learn if you truly enjoy something by getting exposure early on. If anything, early exposure can give you clarity, confidence and a head start on where you want to be in your future career. Sometimes it's helpful to initially immerse yourself in other activities as a hobby, volunteering, or paid internships.
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Erick’s Answer

Hi there,

This is such a thoughtful question, and honestly, from my perspective, there are many angles to consider.

What I can tell you is that some people lose their passion because of burnout. Try not to turn your hobby into your job it's one of the most common ways people end up burning out or losing their love for what they once enjoyed.
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Ashok’s Answer

As yourself - Can you pursue your passion during "free hours" you get but if it doesn't help pay bills, it won't be a passion for too long. Target finding a career that you're able to balance your passion with and see how it goes. End of the day, be practical about your own situation but never stop ASPIRING !
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Michele’s Answer

When I was in college I thought my passion would map exactly to a career that tied directly to it. I tried it - I was wrong. I didn’t enjoy working in what I was passionate about so I kept experimenting with different mixes of things and eventually found what work I was passionate about which was different from my passion outside of work. Instead I volunteered in the area outside of work that I enjoyed and found new things I loved about my career.
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Chaitra’s Answer

Turning your passion into a job can be amazing, but don’t let it become pressure that kills your joy 💫 Keep a little part of it just for yourself and do what feels right ❤️ Balance DoWhatYouLove
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Jennifer’s Answer

I think this answer will be different for everyone, and it will also depend on what your passion is. For example, if someone is an artist and just loves creating their own vision of things, then working in a field where that person has to create for other people what they want all day long day after day, it can drain the energy away so that when the artist is home, they don't have the energy or passion to create what they want for themselves or think the world needs that only they can create. Another example is a writer. If someone is a ghost writer and spends all day working on someone else's book, the energy to then write a book of one's own in the off hours can be tough. That person might feel like doing anything other than writing after work on weekends, etc.

Or, it can be the opposite. The artist who has paint on the brush all day creating a commissioned work around someone else's vision might pine for their after-hours time so the brush can work on their own stuff and smelling and working with the paint all day feeds their passion to create.

I think it also depends on if your passion involves a fair amount of freedom, or if it is tightly controlled. What I mean is that let's say someone is freelancing vs. someone who works for a large company. In freelancing, a person chooses which jobs they want to try to take on. In a large company, that same person has to work on whatever the company tells the person to do.

If a person's passion isn't something creative, it can go either way too. For example, someone's passing is learning languages. If someone loves speaking French and decides to take a job where all the clients live in a French speaking country, then French serves as the gateway to more of the passion. But, if someone's passion is learning languages and it means they travel so much that they don't get to spend time with their family, then that person can come to resent working in that type of a job and using French in that specific way.

It's all about how a person designs their experience around their passion.
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Diana’s Answer

Absolutely, go after what you love and nurture your artistic spirit. Stay open to how your skills can fit into different roles. Whether you want to keep art as a passion or mix it with other fields, there's plenty of room for creativity. You could explore UI/UX design, interior design, or become an art consultant. There are many ways to bring your talents into the business world. The key is to find work that aligns with your values and fulfills you. Remember, you don't have to stick to one path, you can be many things and continue to create!
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Israel’s Answer

You can work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, but if you don't like what you do you're simply unemployed.
Always remain curious and seek growth... this way way you'll never tire.
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Jessica’s Answer

I think you should pursue something you'll be happy in. Work, even something you love, will have its bad days and stressful times but imagine if you start with something you absolutely hate just because it meets a specific income or standards? At least if you like what you do it makes it easy to get over some difficult humps in the job. One thing that I do recommend though is still have hobbies that you don't profit from. This will help keep a balance between work and life.
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Mario’s Answer

Hey Kero!

I checked out the awesome feedback you’ve already gotten, and it looks like the experience is fantastic! I'm really loving what I've read so far. As a Senior Manager in the IT industry, my advice is to look for a job where you can really grow. You need to face some challenges and definitely enjoy the wins along the way! The experiences you gather will help you figure out what truly adds value to your career and life. Make it a game-changer!

It’s all about finding that unique way to deliver and upskill. Even if it’s a long journey, you’ll always feel excited, happy, and valuable, making a real impact in our universe with what you do! 🌟

Keep searching and never give up!!
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Michelle’s Answer

Choose to do work that feels natural for you - that you enjoy, you’re interested in, feel like you’re good at, that plays to your strengths. Careers are hard work and you’ll spend a ton of time doing it. Best to not spend that time frustrated, or feeling like a square peg in a round hole. That doesn’t mean if you love painting you should make that your career… I mean, maybe. What I’m saying is, if you hate math, don’t go into finance or accounting…
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Ladahvia’s Answer

As a creative person, I’ve faced this challenge too. It’s okay to work a 9-to-5 while supporting your interests. A steady job can help you grow, prepare for creative entrepreneurship, and give you the financial stability to support yourself. It doesn’t take away from who you are at your core—it can help launch you into your next chapter.

Work, save, and live below your means so you can keep pursuing your passions. Wishing you Well!
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