“Never follow your passion,”
says Mike Rowe. “But always bring it with you.”
Rowe, the host of the series “Dirty Jobs”—which recently
returned to television—is renowned for urging others to pursue opportunities instead of passions: “Just because you’re passionate about something doesn’t mean you won’t suck at it. And just because you’ve earned a degree in your chosen field, it doesn’t mean you’re going to find your ‘dream job.’”
On his website—his
bio brings a chuckle, and his Eagle Scout letter some serious laughter—Rowe stands as living proof of his own advice. He wanted to go into the
trades like his grandfather but showed little natural talent, so instead, he studied opera and acting, and literally talked his way onto the stage and into a position at the QVC Shopping Channel, and many freelance jobs, before eventually creating and snagging the “Dirty Jobs” gig. At no time was he truly following his passions, but he carried them in his pocket wherever he worked.
We can find this same train of events in the lives of others, some of them famous.
George C. Marshall’s low grades prevented him from entering West Point. Instead, he attended the Virginia Military Institute, where he graduated in the middle of his class. After entering the Army, his superiors soon discovered that Marshall had a genius for logistics and organization. Throughout his career, he brought a passion for getting things right—even to tasks that sparked little interest. He ended up as Chief of Staff of the Army during World War II, did as much as or more than any American to win that war, put into play the post-war relief for Europe that was soon called the Marshall Plan, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. His enthusiasm and high standards of excellence brought Marshall well-deserved fame.
On a less illustrious playing ground, one young man I know is a bit like Rowe. He wanted to be an actor—he possessed some performance skills—but changed course in college and worked for a politician for two years following graduation. He then launched himself into software sales and excelled in that company for seven years, all the while investing his money in rental houses and apartments. Today, at age 34, he is self-employed and successful, working along with his wife and a friend buying, selling, and leasing out properties.
Did this entrepreneur follow his passions? No. But the jobs he worked developed the talents, particularly when dealing with people, that today stand him in good stead while doing business with anyone, from bankers to tenants.
So what are we left with here?
First, we should be careful about squashing anyone’s dreams, or for that matter abandoning our own, however impossible they seem. History records too many men and women who did follow their passions and achieved their goals, winning success, fame, and wealth.
On the other hand, far more others have failed. Any high school teacher probably knows a dozen kids who would give all they have to play professional sports, but the odds against them are staggering. To these students, Rowe would say to bring the passion you feel in athletics—to win, to give everything you’ve got in a game—to almost any job and expand your chances both for opportunities and for a life well-lived.
The formula for success, then, is to bring passion to every job. Develop our talents. Blend the two together while keeping a sharp eye out for opportunity. And if these three elements buddy up and start down the same path, grab hold, hang on tight, and run with them like there’s no tomorrow.
