To find work you love, don't follow your passion | Benjamin Todd | TEDxYouth@Tallinn

Mainstream career advice tells us to “follow our passion”, but this advice is dead wrong. Research shows that people who take this approach are ultimately no more likely to enjoy or excel at their jobs. Instead, if you’re looking for a fulfilling career, here’s a new slogan to live by: Do what’s valuable.
Benjamin Todd is the co-founder and Executive Director of 80,000 Hours, an Oxford-based charity dedicated to helping people find fulfilling careers that make a real difference. In three years, 80,000 Hours has grown from a student society to a thriving charity featured on the BBC, the Washington Post, NPR and more, and whose online careers guide has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.
Benjamin Todd on heategevusorganisatsiooni 80 000 Hours kaasasutaja, nende eesmärk on aidata inimesi, kes tahavad suurendada oma karjääri positiivset mõju maailmale. Ben on juhtinud 80 000 Hoursi kasvu kolme aasta jooksul tudengiorganisatsioonist Oxfordi heategevusorganisatsiooniks, mida on mainitud nii BBC, Washington Post ja NPR jt.meediaväljaannetes. Ben on õppinud Oxfordis füüsikat ja filosoofiat, avaldanud kirjutisi kliimafüüsika teemal ja räägib hiina keelt.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@pocok5000]

Let's not forget, that every time a successful person gives career advice, there is a selection bias in the background. Other people might tried the very same thing and failed, but we will never hear about them, because they are not successful. Your personal experience is the most reliable source of information, don't follow any advice blindly. Try things, don't be afraid of failure, and see what works for you.

[@_modiX]

Exactly, to overcome the survival bias you have to look on the whole set instead of a subset and focus not only on successful results, but even on all the failed results, too.

[@KrstenaloKrstenalosleman]

modi X

[@christineowori750]

You know something +David Kertesz, your comment made me feel so much better. It reminded me that its okay to try different things and see what works for you, Thanks for that

[@pocok5000]

I am happy to hear that, thanks!

[@SebastianLopez-nh1rr]

Life is mere improvisation :) this comment should be at the top

[@timelessadventurer]

A 15 minute talk to tell you to help others to be happy. There, now I helped others by saving them 15 minutes

[@kadaknarial6744]

Christian Pukala should have seen this comment earlier

[@Quenche]

Yeah would have appreciated this before I watched the whole 15 minutes lol

[@neilmathura-tenstoneinc.1895]

Borrrrrringgggg

[@omarh8731]

but it has some details in there man don't be so unfair

[@harinath2007]

I would have still watched it to experience it. Nevertheless, I get your sarcasm :)

[@thomaslavelle1853]

my experience is that once your "passion" turns into job , it changes it's characteristics . It turns into something that eventually disgusts you because you have to do so many tedious and unpleasant duties that didn't exist when it was just a "passion". This has happened to me 3 times in my life. because I was stuck on the idea of only doing things I was" passionate about" and naturally good at. Finally after seeing through the whole "passion" fallacy , My advice is that it's best to find something that you neither like or hate, one that you can take or leave, you don't mind going to work , in other words neutral. If it helps the world , great. If it only helps the people you serve , fine.if it supports your life well and doesn't burn you out , cool. As a add-on piece of advice, I would suggest when you need to make a decision between 2 things, for example learning a trade or becoming a professional dancer, do both. When you are young , you have enormous energy , so do both things. Then you have practicality and passion both covered.

[@doablefilms9380]

so so true. Many of us enjoy to do things, but to do those things under pressure to be great and 5 days a week even when we don't feel like it is another matter. Also what you tell yourself about what you're doing changes how you feel about it.

[@sardalamit]

I concur. I was a professional animator and later on couldn't even watch anything animated or even heavy CGI related. Post that, another career in one of my "passions " and 8 years down the line now I feel burnt out. Contemplating a change. But worried this will be a never ending cycle. One of the biggest problems with following your passion and making it a profession is: you attach your value to your work. I found myself pursuing perfectionism and even taking on more work and correcting and completing others mistakes. Then there's always a boss who wants to take advantage of this particular quality.

[@thomaslavelle1853]

@@sardalamit Well said. This is especially true in creative fields where you find yourself at odds with what you are doing but can't just walk away because you are dependant on it.

[@redl0ydd752]

@@thomaslavelle1853 sometimes that thing is the only thing you can do cause no matter what you do, you always think to yourself 'I could be doing that'

[@Izik8890]

Do both! I love this advice. Somehow we get stuck on the idea that we can only choose one thing. This is much healthier for the mind and body I think. I used to work in a theatre and got burnt out - I thought - what is the way out? I realised that ideally people would do their practical jobs part time and have more time for art.

[@emmamorgan2002]

I think what he's trying to say is just don't blindly follow your "passion" or interests as a career. Rather you should incorporate your passion(s) into a career that doesn't only benefit you. I just started going to college for interior design and honestly am still not sure if this is really what i want to do. I care a lot about the environment and feel like a career involving that would possibly be better. With that in mind I could easily become an interior designer who uses only recycled and sustainable materials for my projects and could inspire others to do so as well. The question I'm left with is "is that doing enough for the environment to me?"

[@vivianadenegri6148]

I think this is a really cool ieda. I can't think of any affordable brand for interior that is also sustainable so I would be interested. I personally have an interest in fashion plus I also really care for the environment. I was thinking of having an ethical fashion brand or consulting people on how to find their style and things tht suit them and make them happy while in a way also doing something for the envosinment? Idk I have no idea

[@KLKLKLKLKLKLKLKLKLmf]

If you do that, it would be inspiring.

[@someundeadtalent2016]

I totally feel you! I am currently in an apprenticeship as a professional car painter but I realised all the waste and toxic chemicals touched me. How can we improve the running system? Make it more sustainable? After some research I found out I could start with another apprenticeship building up on my current one, which would help me learn about how paint works and how people create it. With that, I could go into big companies like BASF and help evolve the current system of paints and polishes, making it more sustainable.

[@adri-bee1268]

@@someundeadtalent2016 in my city there is a big shop for sustainable paints. Maybe you can also find something like that and learn from them, too. (what I want to say is that sustainable options already exist... but probably not for engines)

[@serenapaone182]

Don't let (reasonable) doubts stop you. I think it's the perfect idea which you can start to make the difference with!

[@idfengming]

My passion is not to work

[@muhammadrajabMR]

well you made me laugh hahaha

[@themacocko6311]

Xu Fengming I'm sure you'll make a great bum.

[@Coolkatzgamer]

or maybe not getting a job and play video games

[@telepathictortoise3021]

become a hotel bed tester, that's my backup plan

[@themacocko6311]

TelepathicTortoise Hope you like bed bugs.

[@katenka_ana3997]

Me before this video: I have no idea what I should do Me after this video: I have no idea what I should do

[@purelove7855]

do what is needed :)

[@JanSmit.4203]

Explore

[@piyushjain009]

Because there is no such things like shortcut

[@purelove7855]

find your ikigai im still working on it dont worry about it yes explore

[@aleidebandeira4183]

tão eu in the world kkkkk

[@jackclouds]

99% of people don't care about success and money, most of them just think that they do, but actually everyone is looking for empathy, connection, realization, belonging, love and being loved, being able to feed yourself and your beloved ones, etc...

[@mego8325]

True. And oddly, how the money would roll if we were actually able to touch base with those things and maintain them.

[@jimreadey2743]

And, @@mego8325, it wouldn't have to roll nearly as much as most believe in order to form a foundation for our happiness.

[@jimreadey2743]

Hear, hear, Jack...I 100% agree! ♥

[@iyedbouazdia3594]

So true. Thank you

[@soniarodriguez6651]

Purpose, everything comes to that.

[@poly_hexamethyl]

Counterexample: I followed my passion and have a successful career. Conclusion: Don't follow other people's examples. When young people ask me for career advice, I always feel uncomfortable. I never suggest that anybody use me as a role model. You need to figure out what works for you.

[@hulkhogan4218]

Young lad is overthinking the whole thing. Trying to find meaning in his mundane career path.

[@gloriaomurunga5197]

honestly the best comment because it was exactly what i was thinking. conditions surrounding us are completely different so of course our lives will pan out differently.

[@diegoalejandrobermeocastro5549]

So true

[@pandax5359]

@@hulkhogan4218 it's true though

[@oj818]

Sometimes people can confuse liking with passion; and I found it out when I realised what I have been doing for years. I really wasnt interested in music(and I knew it), it was just an escape. I gave up on football and needed something. Maybe football was my real passion , maybe should have had more patience.

[@Je_suis_Jefe]

You could be passionate with something and be horrible at it at the same time.

[@codemiesterbeats]

lmao true true... I still suck at music but im still at it.

[@santh9115]

a lot of artists are terrible at it and make tons of money, you'll be fine

[@jeannewambo5150]

yeah just like many singers out there...No comment!

[@lysekthe]

yep, he didn't consider, that someone is passionate in some area, but he not have talent for this in the same time. Ex. musician, sportsman's

[@hdee5615]

lysekthe wel thats where you need to put in the hours to learn it..and thats the problem..everyone wants something but dont want to work for it.. rich people didnt get rich by sitting on there ass.. they did something about it..and invested time and money into the things they were weak at..

[@blackhawkX02]

Man, the world is full of people who follow their passion and have fulfilling lives, and also it's full of people that follow money and have fulfilling lives, and others that pursuit a meaning and have fulfilling lives. The key is to find what is best for you out of those things and balance it with the others because that way you can find a way to make it fulfilling and give something back to society. If you can't balance these things of course you're going to fail, it is not as simple as saying "choose/don't choose what you're passionate about. Lately I've been realising that almost anyone can apply for a TED talk and speak like if they had all the answers. So, it's on us, to figure out which TED talks are useful for us and which ones are not.

[@fridayimp7784]

Wow so you think that the difference between being paid and not being paid judges the person as a whole... Just wow

[@nikolasgunadi765]

Louder for the people in the back!

[@anjusanal]

marsjacobvolta, the first reply has been edited, so when the comment was originally posted, he might have not added those last two lines saying that there are some good tedX talks.

[@Paul-dc3vi]

​@@singinglawnchair Actually that's not true, a TedxYouth event has taken place and will again at Rhodes,Greece in which any high school student can apply and it's free.

[@Siaru692]

@@singinglawnchair cool but what part in this video you found that is not resonated? I mean it says that find what valuable career you can choose with your skill and passion it seems both realistic and idealistic Caz No matter what your passion job is you need to make money through it and to earn money You must have something to offer to others Isn't that how the money works? Through Trade? I can't find more fulfilling answer than this video so I just wanna know what you think is better option for choosing carrer

[@InMotionForAMillion]

"Following their passion actually made them more likely to die." Well, that's uplifting.

[@bushmaster7810]

last time i checked everyone’s chance of death is 100%? Lol.

[@trajectory7235]

@@bushmaster7810 haha, that made me laugh. Can't believe I didn't notice that when he said it in the video lol

[@LancelotGraal]

Also who cares? They died happy.

[@lendri5996]

I get his point but isn’t a short life filled with happiness better than a long, boring life full of doubt?

[@nocopyright-lalimusic3768]

@@LancelotGraal agree

[@louisehelgesson5471]

I didn’t even watch the TED talk. I just read the comments 😂

[@gold8780]

Haha same

[@jennyrobi2185]

Same here... haha..what i'm doing right now

[@art_by_darney]

Same lol

[@nenemzou7070]

Bruh

[@XeaRae]

Same. ADD represent 😁

[@ofnir123]

I literally just quit a job I was very skilled at because I absolutely hated it. Though hearing what I've been told when I left, I would have probably made it to the top and have had "success". I was also helping people not get their money stolen on fake electronic scams, so you could say I was making a difference in people's lives. I ran away from "success". Why? Because I was about to kill myself if I stayed there. Honestly, I believe the best success you can have, is living a life you actually want to live. And there's just no objective way to calculate this

[@stijn4771]

Steven Thanks for the advice. What do you do now?

[@RodHammett95]

"I believe the best success you can have, is living a life you actually want to live." Give this man a cookie!

[@user-jd1hy9bg1d]

I DON'T WANT ANYTHING. GUESS I'LL GO KILL MYSELF THAN..

[@cainandabel7059]

@@user-jd1hy9bg1d You can always work and do just something you enjoy while off work( like watching movies, reading or gaming or just listening to music)

[@chips_a_huy]

this touched me. thank you.

[@horrorpill]

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all the matters of the heart, you'll know it when you find it." - Steve Jobs (1955-2011).

[@mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm7165]

Shi Sekushi 1995-2011? what lol?

[@jeannewambo5150]

no hahahaha

[@shantife]

I like to stalk people, can I make a career out of it?

[@kigrovrak1538]

shantife. Yes, a Private invewtigator

[@praveensharma9893]

I just realized my grandmother is just a year older than Steve Jobs was. ...

[@sockysworld8010]

Trick yourself into pursuing value, while secretly following your passion.

[@reagle9315]

Please explain more

[@princesslacson6291]

Nice.

[@anshulkandpal2384]

@@reagle9315 Try to find a strong underlying universal value within your passion.

[@kristofferagustin6315]

This is the truth

[@sadhanaterapia5353]

But it's a more assertive way, to follow your passion.

[@Hexanitrobenzene]

Something tells me that when he was "passionate" about martial arts and philosophy, he didn't know himself well. His true passion is helping others, and he is fulfilling it by working in a charity. Passion and happiness are very subjective words with many meanings. Naturally, confusion arises when using them. I think what he is really trying to say is this: "Don't simply follow your interests which bring you pleasure and joy (note: I'm not using the word 'happiness', it is something a lot more permanent than joy). Instead, do something you really *care* about. Something you care about will probably be hard and tedious, but it will be worth it, because it will be meaningful."

[@pruthvishanand5392]

The Best Comment

[@NgocHan-gy8mz]

good point

[@callme_adam]

amen

[@ambergrubenmann9111]

Comparing the number of people who say their passion is something creative to the number of jobs available in the creative field is disempowering. Statistics like these teach young people to wait until they are chosen, or wait on others to create opportunities for them, instead of challenging themselves to create the conditions they desire on their own. Young people are waiting to be accepted by a good school and then hoping to be hired after an interview. Doing and saying the right things all their lives with the hopes that someone will choose them out of the crowd. Dear young people, don't wait on someone to call on you, create value without permission. With tools like KZbin, Facebook, Instagram, Wordpress, etc. You can do it for free and you can start today.

[@rebeckasvensson838]

THIS is inspiring!

[@luciairaola825]

Amber Grubenmann uuuuuuuuhhhhh

[@einarabelc5]

Totally, that's what THEY want you to believe. Why do you think this "talk" is in this channel, it's talk.

[@emilyjackson1819]

Amber Grubenmann what do you mean tools like KZbin and Facebook?

[@SamyaDaleh]

You can create art and share it via KZbin or Facebook. There are good chances that someone sees it who finds value in it.

[@BestMentalism]

martial arts and philosophy were the 2 main interests of another guy: Bruce Lee, and then he matched it with what was valuable for people: movies, and he became a true legend. I believe it's a question of balance, you have to find what you are interested in and then how you can use it to bring value to others.

[@sue-sageasmr2020]

Best Mentalism well said!

[@el_kks_4361]

+

[@enzo_armani]

nothing to add..

[@Francis-zk3io]

TY !

[@GregTom2]

Martial arts and philosophy were the 2 main interests of hundreds of thousands of people. Don't take a sample size of one person.

[@riyascorner9198]

“The job you find boring was someone else’s dream job”

[@rizqikhoirunnisa3801]

And sometimes people say to me that I have to be grateful of, but they dont know what exactly I feel

[@sissi18]

Yes, sure, but it was not my dream.. Everyone has differents dreams..

[@captain_cloudd]

and?

[@ggundercover3681]

@@captain_cloudd for me the quote just put it into perspective. isn't so funny how a job I possibly hate and dread, could be someone else's light of the day? I didn't interpret it as stating you should be grateful (I can't read tone in text and didn't feel the need to find some negative meaning). However, you are correct, if someone tells you this in order to dismiss your unhappiness, please ignore and keep searching for fulfilment.

[@mattheww4019]

gotta disagree with this comment, everyone's different and this quote doesn't solve the problem of why people came to this video

[@maeghanmondelo18]

This reminds me of the movie Soul. When the idk what creature she was said "Your spark is not your purpose" really hit me hard.

[@imjaemondejar263]

Gosh love the movie sooo much

[@Kira-nk8wr]

I swear

[@aafaqs]

Your Passion - What’s valuable = ❌ What’s valuable - Your Passion = ❌ Your Passion + What’s valuable = ✔️

[@akshatverma334]

So true

[@emmanueloluga9770]

This should be the top comment

[@farhankhairi5688]

so how thats gonna work?

[@anotherliluselessshit1402]

@@farhankhairi5688 u do the thing/s u love and be productive,help society

[@taylenday]

Fuck it. I'm going for it anyway.

[@LOLIPOP00007]

XXTALEN otrw

[@Adam-bq2vw]

I just don't understand how it's so clear cut to some ppl. Nothing in my life is that obvious. There are many different things I'm interested in.

[@taylenday]

It's not that it's clear cut. You just think about it critically. Then emotionally. And if theres not at least some kind of winner among your interests you just pick one and stick to it for as long as possible.

[@rachelwheaton6730]

XXTALEN go for it! What's your passion?

[@awesomegamer31]

+XXTALEN best of luck mate

[@emox9]

It’s just his point of view, don’t let the others tell you what to do in your life, follow your dreams, fail, fall down in pieces, rise up again and never give up. There’s no only one path, you may end up finding a new path for your life. So do things, try, explore, and you will discover yourself!

[@stefaniecarina1115]

I don't get why the majority of comments are negative. I get his "helping others" point. It might not be the only value in finding your job, but one important part of it.

[@DavidsonLoops]

Obvs it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, as he said in the last decades the careers advice was different, maybe he was only talking about his orgs most recent state of their research but are still working on it, he should have mentioned that actually.

[@justsumdude7437]

You're under no obligation to direct your life towards something altruistic. Helping people is good, obviously, but that doesn't mean you're ought to give up your passion just to be useful.

[@pixxie643]

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman For some people, finding a career that has meaning and makes the world a better place is what makes them happy but for others, following their passion is the right move. There is no set in stone way to find the right career for you, it is not wrong to pursue money or practicality nor is it wrong to pursue your creative passion. You have to find your own path through life.

[@neptune0909]

💯

[@Yolwoocle]

This is absolutely true!

[@diiana_aiupova]

Oh god I think you cured my depression

[@corysgood881]

Thank you for posting this comment. Anyone who wants to explore this further I highly suggest you read "Claim Your Power" by Mastin Kipp, this is basically the goal of that book. If you don't enjoy the process of the work one day you will wake up tired of your job and it will hit you hard like it did me! I just hope that you don't let to many years slip away before you have this realization.

[@Muting_all_advice]

Sure, but most people need to be independently wealthy to do what makes them come alive, since what makes us as individuals come alive doesn’t necessarily have a market. Right? We can’t force others to pay for our own preferred careers. As the talker pointed out, lots of people want to do the same exiting things.

[@brunodays]

I mean... If you follow your passion there is sure to be people who'll benefit from it. Not just you. And if you build your career from a passion you'll either see how you were wrong... Or you'll grow to love what you do each and every day. Not everyone is the same. And like someone once said, make your passion a career and you won't have to work at all. Also, if you follow his advice and do something intricately more valuable for the world and start loving what you do... You found another passion. Because a person doesn't have a single interest, a single passion, a single thing they love. We as human beings are ever evolving, ever changing. If we can find happiness doing something we have found a passion. An interest. And that's the beauty of it.

[@brunodays]

XGamingProductionsX and you sound like a moron trying to be smart. if some people didn't follow their passions we wouldn't have half of the amazing things we have today. do you think all top scientists just "went for it"? do you think our best cinematographers/producers didn't have a passion for film when they started? do you think most people become musicians or any sort of artist "just because"? if you happen to have followed your passion and have regreted it, then I'm sorry for you. But don't pass on your negativity like that.

[@Dr.HowieFeltersnatch]

BDAYZ Yeah I do think that half of them "went for it". Probably more than half. and honestly, art, music, movies, really don't matter.

[@brunodays]

XGamingProductionsX well then we'll have to disagree

[@fabioparra2711]

This comment made my day.

[@uhsbwyhwj2966]

Dr. Howie Feltersnatch you're an idiot

[@perfectmoments3876]

5 Years ago this guy helped me choose my career, and I could´nt be more thankful. Do what´s valuable!

[@PedroMachadoPT]

No. Do what you are most valueable at relative to others.

[@DLeo14]

Without following your passion to some extent, you'll end up doing a lot of jobs that you hate and being exploited, but you may not find what you're truly passionate about until you try a bunch of different things, and just gain more life experience in general.

[@dil-lw1gj]

Damn the comment section here is more motivational than the video

[@johns8065]

true

[@tcconnection]

Lol

[@LucasOliveira-dy4vh]

Hahahahah true!!

[@maximilianoaureliano4932]

agreed!

[@fenixfalcao3483]

Amazing point lol

[@dorro4813]

You don't have enough motivation without passion, you can't do something valuable, something really qaulitative without passion. Our brains don't work well with things that they don't like.

[@Ekitchi0]

He did say present passions are a factor in choosing what skills to get good at precisely for that reason. Basically, he is saying that passion is good for building skills, not so much for full careers, because our interests do change over time.

[@adorkable7196]

but passion and interest aren't the same thing. Interests change, passion doesn't.

[@StarMiely]

Ador kable Passion is a feeling, so I guess it can change?

[@jeannewambo5150]

I agree with you! You can turn into a genie whyle doing things you like...You never complain, never give up, you think of it days long...You would die doing it....If you fail then you just did it wrong...It's not because you fail that it means you'll never succeed...And it's not because you look for a job that you'd succeed on it...

[@jeannewambo5150]

I'd rather fail doing something I like than doing a shitty job...

[@wowsports8800]

The fact that my interests from 5-10 years ago didn't change at all, I'm going to cry

[@lauramanthey7095]

I love the idea that our work lives have a deeper meaning. Don't just focus on making money and being 'successful'. Looking for work that is valuable and will make a real difference in the world is priceless!

[@iangilbert7722]

Following your passion is fine, if you're good at it and if there's a market for it.

[@Ekitchi0]

so basically if your passion is about something valuable ;)

[@jerrymate5151]

Ian Gilbert as long as your passion has nothing to do with arts, you'll be fine

[@WateryFire]

Ekitchi Hoshi Not everything that's on the market is valuable.

[@Ekitchi0]

Prelestnost2 How so? If there is a market for something, it means there are people willing to pay for it, hence it's valuable.

[@WateryFire]

Ekitchi Hoshi Interesting definition of valuable. I don't think though that's what the presenter meant as valuable.

[@pistopit7142]

Once your passion becomes your job, it stops being so passionating over time.

[@Brunette909]

Really? Did you experience it? I would appreciate if you answer honestly 🙂

[@Izik8890]

I had that. I worked as an actress in a travelling theatre for 5 years. All the stuff I love - performance, costumes, circus. By the end I needed a change. Now I can afford to say no to a performance if I don't feel like it. I am not afraid of making things how I like them because I am not worried about future bookings. Now again I am in a job which involves things I really enjoy - DIY, fixing stuff, etc. At the end of the day I don't feel like doing it at home although I need it! But.. I do know a chef who loves his work and the first thing he does when he comes home is cook dinner for his family with a giant smile on his face! So it doesn't apply to everyone. Greetings

[@francescoantolini8752]

i agreee with you because you must to do that like a job. it means when it is necessary to do it and not when you want to enjoy it

[@Mira12963]

@@Brunette909 It’s a lot more frustrating having a customer or boss tell me how to go about my passion than “just my job”. However at the end of the day they’re the ones signing the paycheck + unless you’re a complete enthusiast you’ll likely be full of doing the thing 24/7. I for example work at a gym and I barely ever go to a gym class in my free time because it feels like work and takes away the excitement. Lastly tapping back into the video’s message: our coaches (including myself) enjoy getting paid for sports but what we *love* is helping the customers reach their goals and having an impact there. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t enjoy it quite as much. So it’s possible to combine it but not in every case. Also apparently writing long paragraphs on YT is a passion of mine too lol

[@jd3076]

Kinda make sense tho in simple terms "its fun in the beginning but kinda get tiring when time passes by" but that doesnt mean you lost interest in your passion

[@DashieLovesMe]

I think it’s all about finding a career you give value to the most. Because all careers are valuable, we just need people who are actually interested in that. That’s what makes a valuable career.

[@oppen637]

Why should there be only one career?

[@manoma7]

The “Earth” without “art” is just “eh”

[@bhremhernandonecio407]

epic! haha

[@siddharthg3315]

Salute madam for such a dialogue 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@sophiaredwood5825]

I adore this

[@rick2402]

Benjamin's contention is that if you do what's valuable, passion will follow. This argument can be broken by finding a simple counterexample. I'm sure that everyone knows someone in their life that is doing financially well but feels very unfulfilled and dead inside. I argue that these examples are what led to the "Follow your passion" advice in the first place. Many people in the world don't want to make that mistake. I think that people should follow their passion, AND generate value through it in some way.

[@charlessmith8854]

What?

[@charlessmith8854]

***** you followed what the op was saying? It's like ripping a random page off of the Bible and sticking it in random spot in Moby Dick and reading the page in its new context. What?

[@madnirab2341]

Both

[@ETFsinner]

what

[@xDMrGarrison]

Lol this even got 10 likes. By "valuable" he means something that will have a positive impact on other people. Not "doing financially well"

[@manny3095]

Follow your passion, don't follow your passion. fuck! fuck I say! you all have to realize that their is absolutely no RIGHT answer for this conundrum. what you do is pick something, and make that choice the RIGHT choice.

[@pedrohenriquecostamendes8969]

The best comment on this video so far! Don't know why there is no attention to it yet!

[@applecrave1097]

Exactly!

[@devitamayasari4794]

really? you should try to be in TedTalks too i guess

[@bea855]

completely agree!!

[@brunodays]

Manny Singh As vague as that is, you're right. Like I said in a comment I made, "if you find happiness doing something you have found a passion" We don't need to follow a passion. We can create one, as we are ever changing.

[@septanine5936]

I think the real problem is trying to make it a one size fits all situation. I think people should do something they're good at and at least somewhat enjoy doing, or forge their own path even. This could be a passion or not. I think those that follow their passion should expect unenjoyable aspects as well as enjoyable ones. Just do something that you won't dread doing all the time. You know you best after all.

[@uRealReels]

what is it that you dont dread, lol [ ie what do u do, and how does it make u feel]

[@septanine5936]

@uRealReals I don't dread creating, whether that's a picture on a piece of paper, a sculpture, or a scarf. it makes me feel accomplished and is a way for me to express myself. sometimes execution can be frustrating, but it's worth it for me

[@user-ig9wk3jy9j]

The thing I learned from this video is that don't delay our decision before we know our passion is but to do valuable things and just explore as much as we can. Even if we can't find our own real passion after many tries, we can still live a valuable life.

[@Celeyo]

I'm sure this is true for some people, but I'm just sitting here laughing because the thing I regret is not following my passion earlier. I've wanted to make a living as an artist for over a decade, and somewhere along the line I decided that it was too unreasonable and wouldn't bring in any money, so I started studying other things, thinking I could be a translator, a geologist or something else more "realistic". But I couldn't ever give up art. I always felt incredibly unhappy I couldn't spend more time and energy on it. And due to both that, and to things in my personal life, I ended up with depression, anxiety and a severe burnout that I still haven't recovered from. The only reason I'm slowly getting back on my feet is because I'm now allowing myself to truly follow my passion. So yeaaahhh, I probably wouldn't give people the advice to not follow their passion. Tbh.

[@mariamiase8977]

Here I am, with the same story. I always had passion for the piano and art. I decided to study Sociology, because it seemed to be more realistic career-wise, I was interested in Sociology as well, but later, I guessed that I had interest for many things, but passion for art and the piano. Interest and passion are two different things. I am struggling with anxiety as well, but starting to try my best and work on my skills and passion. Good luck and I really hope that people like us will follow what they truly love.

[@hadiyahasma9440]

Wish I could hug every one of you who has this same story as mine. I also haven’t recovered from all the anger and other mental instability that I’ve developed during those days I was unable to pursue art. Been in a better place now walking baby step and finally feeling happy after years of asphyxiation. Best wishes for all of us :)

[@meganruhnke3962]

Celeyo I feel the same way too if I’m not doing art then I get really depressed. I think ppl should do what they know and are good at. That way you are able to better contribute to society and art plays an important part on culture and the generation you live in.

[@Gokai_]

I think what he tries to say is that your interest might not be the only source you use to choose. You also have to combine it with something more valuable. In fact he said it isnt likely that you become an artist but only because they arent many jobs. His idea is more like, look at your skills and use them for others. If you are skilled in arts then go for it but dont do any arts but arts that help people: motivational or go into something like design.

[@tommihorttana860]

I, too, think the advice comes off too one-sided. I had various passions as a kid, one being computers and the other being writing, with talent in mathmatics as well. I went after a mixture of both in media arts, and have now been working as a freelance game developer. This has been enjoyable and decent for earning money, but I could no doubt earn more working on Google algorithms or something. But the passion hasn't gone away - in fact it's not even quite satisfied by doing freelance work for others, and I'm seriously considering taking a couple of years off and doing an indie game of my own. On the other hand, my original plan, and the obvious choice for someone with a passion in writing, was to become a novelist. Looking back, I think I would have been mediocre at best. I was good at it but not top-tier, and would have probably not been able to make a living off it, especially considering how hard it is even for successful writers to earn money. If I have any special talent, it's the combination of writing and math-based logical thinking and problem-solving, and now I'm in a good position to pursue that eventually. The advice of doing something valuable for others is also solid. The motivation to create games comes, in big part, from other people enjoying them. I am more skeptical about the idea that simply earning to give would make you happy, though. The value for others is too impersonal and disconnected from the actual work. So maybe better advice would be to not *obsess* about finding your passion - if you have one, you already know it. And to not *ignore* these other considerations when making your decision.

[@joeygoll6233]

he acts like everyone enjoys helping people and making the world a better place for humans

[@codemiesterbeats]

"We drink and rob and rhyme and pillage" -The Beastie Boys Yea I mean everybody cant be in a position to actually help people. I mean somebody has to sweep the floor, fix the AC, design the cars. I mean an engineer's job is important but they dont exactly get the opportunity to help people in their work.

[@ShaunTheCHB]

The sad thing is, not everyone does enjoy helping people. That's something he forgot to realize. There are selfish people out there, he must not have encountered them yet, but he will.... He will be in for a shock when he does. "Some men want to watch the world burn".

[@EmeraldJournalClub]

This is a very interesting concept. I agree that is important to find meaning and value in your work but it's also important to have a genuine interest and passion for what you do. Often I find my clients feel unfulfilled in their careers because it's something that they weren't interested in, they followed this path as it was the next natural step in their career. Others have climbed the corporate ladder and love what they do because they find the work interesting and more importantly they love the company and the team they work with. There are a lot of factors at play when choosing a fulfilling career and sometimes it can involve a lot of trial and error to find what you really love.

[@uRealReels]

thank u. i tried booking a meeting with you from your web site, and the link crashed to a blank site. Can you please message me?

[@fathimakaleel494]

Patience and Prayer...works every time.

[@ljubav5630]

A world without art would be worthless for so many people

[@ahmedabdulrahman3490]

Anna R I really want to understand that why art is so important than other really helpful and meaningful things .. I see all artist musicians actors KZbinrs etc.. they are famous and rich .. popular .. so that mean it will make your life better than being a scientist or a doctor which working a lot of time with pressure and cheep salaries just that help them live and so .. should that mean we should be more ppl time killers ..

[@TheSamasi]

For me that would be the case without no musicians

[@jolleh]

@@TheSamasi music is the only perfect thing mankind ever invented

[@gashy5526]

@@ahmedabdulrahman3490 What it means is art is essentially 'entertainment', like video games, animation, cartoons, journalism/content, publishing, and is a fundamental in architecture, design, product design, fashion etc etc. Without art as a basis we would have no way of expression, entertainment or advancement in technology especially with things like product design and architecture.

[@rollerblader5350]

Art is the ONLY IRREPLACEABLE thing in the future

[@KingLoki95]

To all those here who're now confused as to whether or not they should follow their passion- I'd just like to share a Jim Carrey quote from his commencement speech (which I recommend everyone to watch at least once). " You CAN fail at something you don't like. So why not take a risk at something you love? "

[@Daniel-ey8lb]

Thanks this helped a lot

[@Atasych]

Elon Musk replies: "When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor." Thus, meaning can be more important than passion. If you fail at least you know you tried to do something not egoistic but meaningful and others will learn from you to get there. Jim Carrey did wonderful and meaningful thing promoting Eckhart Tolle's Advaita Vedanta books for example. Sadhguru said "If you succeed in achieving your goal within your life it means that your goal was too small."

[@madzia_801]

It was LITERALLY what I needed to hear since a year ago. I chose a major that followed my passion, although I felt like something was off. I felt that it was no use. Now I’m changing my major… finally knowing how to choose.

[@yantxgsstory]

Your passions don’t need to become your main, full-time job !!!

[@Vin_parker007]

Exactly many peoples nowdays skip hard work in means of following passion which is not yet practical for themselves. Our generation is full of confusion cause ideas were many and that's big problem. So i guess what's needed is the best thing and i wish making a difference is a worth it only when we make out peace and stability wirh our fundamental needs of living

[@gopikaravisankar]

@@Vin_parker007True 👍

[@SCIENCEnENGINEER]

Correct!

[@nnnn-ub2lb]

What about someone passionate about medecine, how it can be not my full time job ? If it's not my full time job it be also not my job at all .

[@yantxgsstory]

@@nnnn-ub2lb i believe if it’s something youre truly passionate about but cant have as a full time job, you will FIND ways to incorporate it into your life. Examples of that include: making KZbin educational videos/Instagram pages/Facebook groups etc, part time teacher/lecturer, or even writing reports and researching just for the fun of it! (And even writing a book!)

[@n_evermore]

For any fellow artists out there who feels somewhat discouraged by this Ted Talk, don't be, because art can have great impact on other people as well. I believe that we should do our best in maintaining a balance between following our passion, creating inspiration for other people, and also having a realistic yet hopeful perspective towards the world we live in, all of them are important in my opinion. Benjamin made some good points, but they're a bit flawed to be fair.

[@nzhnaz]

Agreed :)

[@GameToony]

Nice way of putting it. A lot of people hold the pursuit of their passion with such pride that if they think someone contradicts them they get defensive. I don't think the point of the talk was to discourage people from following their passions, but to help them find their passions through altruism

[@adii8819]

now I see that a lot of people don't really understand his point. Pls watch at 13:11 he did mention that arts is useful. He never said arts is useless and cannot impact the world.

[@n_evermore]

@@adii8819 I apologize for the late response. Yes, he did mention that. But for some reason, some people in the comment section were somewhat discouraged, assuming that they took it the wrong way, so I thought that I'd say something about it.

[@neptune0909]

@@n_evermore 💯

[@ArchDemonNar]

A lot of the dissenters here seem to be under the impression that most people have a singular passion in life that never changes. Passion is a fleeting emotion for the majority of people, and cannot be relied on for fulfillment over the course of their entire life. I think that people who know, without a doubt, what their sole passion in life is from an early age are very lucky. Put yourself in a position where you can follow your passions as they arise, while keeping a healthy balance between them and personal finance and responsibility. The do whatever it takes mentality could mean it's acceptable to abandon your children in the pursuit of your passion career, it's ridiculous, but logically sound. There are poorly defined lines between where following your passion begins and ends, or where they should begin and end. What he and others are saying, is that they started doing something that worked, and lo and behold, it became their passion. This advice is great for people who struggle to to find what their purpose in life is supposed to be. Someone mentioned he could have become Bruce Lee from his martial arts and philosophy interests. But if the world were to see ten men like him, even if they were marginally superior, subsequently they would each become less interesting to us. Since each would make less of an impact than the one before him, it would likely cause them to feel less fulfilled, and be less successful. I had a passion for being in a band and playing music once, I put everything I had into it and ended up realizing that I actually prefer it as a hobby and would have hated being on a tour bus being in different places all the time. Most people don't have limitless resources to fully dive into each passion they have. Sometimes a person has to stick with what they've got and make the best of it, which most likely would come from finding a solution to a problem in that field and sharing it, as this speaker suggests.

[@PhuongNguyen-wr3vh]

Totally agree! You gave the most mindful comment here. This video is for the majority of people living in this world. Some people want their passion so bad that they can mentally and physically go through any adversity to make their deam become a reality, these people, well, are sports stars or great actors and so on. But the fact is that these great people belong to just a small group compared to the whole population, and we can't apply what works for the minority to the majority. So I think that "follow your dream" and "don't follow your dream" are both true, depending on each person's situation. While many people have followed their dream and then become great, there are still many people who did follow their dream and then ended up with nothing. Another thing is those people who completely understand what they want and willing to work hard to get it wouldn't waste time to click on videos like this one right after they read the title. Anyway, each individual is the cause of everything that happens in their life, so they should be careful what they wish for, because passion sometimes can be deceiving though.

[@silverandexact]

+

[@pyrpyr5Wolf]

As one of the minority group I'll just have to correct one thing, a passion is not a fleeting emotion, but an interest can be. A passion means you burn for it, you'd do anyting just to get to do that one thing every day. It's not a "oh i want to be a superstar and rich" feeling/thought more like "I need to show this amazing thing to the rest of the world, because how can they live without knowing of it?" whether that be music or as in my case wildlife conservation. If you have a passion, you're not in doubt, because nothing gives you more pure happiness than following it, and yes it's hard to stand out from the crowds that has the same interest, but if you're the passionate one, you're willing to go that extra forty miles to get there!

[@ArchDemonNar]

I suppose you may be right, thank you for that perspective on the word choice.

[@EmilioKolomenski]

+pyrpyr5Wolf You can't reasonably expect everyone (not even a big minority in some areas) that has a passion to stand out, because that's not how standing out works. It's just a circular argument where anytime something has lots of people being passionate about it, competence for it skyrockets, generating stand outs that "define" the new "passion baseline": Everyone who didn't stand out didn't do so because they didn't run the extra forty miles (i.e. "they weren't passionate enough about it"). That's just ludicrous. Sometimes people are passionate about things they won't stand out in. It's how life in a 7 billion inhabitants world works, and we should start trying to go around it in a healthy way instead of making excuses like "it wasn't really a passion" or "you should have invested more time".

[@varunkrishna5007]

"Even if you match your passion with your work, and you're successful, you can still quite easily fail to have a fulfilling career". This is reality for me!

[@osirusj275]

mind sharing?

[@cuekinaja]

Because I am a people pleaser and codependent who put others' needs above mine, I tried to be what's valuable according to people I respected and was close with at the time. So I studied to become an accountant because of someone's advice, changed my mind because I didn't like accounting, and I chose law as the next major, because lawyers help people, changed my mind again, and then I was told management and business are what count in the society, changed my mind again, and I chose international relationship as the last major and finally graduated university. But I hated dealing with people and politics so I didn't pursue career in that. But all this time my passion has always been learning Japanese language so to make money, I work as a translator. Other people told me it's just a hobby, no money in it. So they were wrong. In restrospect, I think I really should have followed my passion from the beginning, then I could always find ways to be useful and get paid for doing it.

[@arupdey1986]

written from the heart!

[@sartanko]

For me, when I take the career and money out of the question and just ask "what do I want to do" it becomes much easier.

[@RosesAndIvy]

For me that makes it harder, because there are so many things i want to do! So I ask myself, what do I want to do that is valuable to society and has job opportunities?

[@sartanko]

Renate vd Bent You can do more than one thing.

[@Wishful---Thinking]

Dan Slash But, you have to start somewhere and it may mean gaining specialized knowledge so while you could do many things, they won't be very diverse...there are only so many hours in the day. in the end a choice needs to be made and you have to live with it and develop mastery. Most career paths are just that, not a lot of jumping around from field to field. Those are the exception.

[@bob1503]

I wanna eat, and sleep.

[@BlaxicanBeautyTV333]

As a college kid (only first year) I almost fell for what this dude was saying but I have so many passions, if I gave up on them my life would be over.

[@conormclaughlan772]

Maryam Rodgers this guy just wasnt passionate enough about what he thought his passions were, therefore he quit, but if you love something enough you wouldnt!

[@sophiejones7727]

that's not true at all. I am very passionate about music, but no way would I ever be a professional musician. I do not have the patience or stamina for that kind of life. I need a structured, nine-to-five workday thank you very much. Knowing what career would be a good fit for you is about knowing your skills and personality traits: not solely about knowing your desires or interests. That said, +Maryam Rodgers there is no need to give up on your passions. I sing in a chorus and play the violin for my family. I go to concerts whenever I can, and listen to lots of music here on youtube. There is nothing wrong with making time for the things you love even if those things are not necessarily what you choose to do for your career.

[@BlaxicanBeautyTV333]

Sophie Jones I see, but I'm the type of person who would go crazy in a 9-5 job, I need adventure and variety.

[@jean_cpdv]

Maryam Rodgers There are so many jobs in the world ! it's not because it doesn't match your "passion" (something i am not sure everybody have) that it's not an adventure or full of variety. What he is trying to say is not give up on what makes you happy, he says that helping each others seems to be the true pass for our hapiness.

[@BlaxicanBeautyTV333]

Conor Mclaughlan Right

[@amyyy0790]

My takeaways: - don't choose a career based on your interests, your interests can change any time - do something valuable for other people - don't just sit and think, go out there and actually start doing

[@kapcsolatkulcs]

I'm 48 now, I lead a community house and an NGO. That became my passion, my way and after this few minutes video I feel tranquility. I see now, how wonderful thoughts are appearing from the next generation's minds. The future is in your hands and minds, young friends - and altrusitic stage of self is one of the best and most valuable way of living. Just let yorself be open for the opportunities. Love,

[@samo5717]

What if his passion is to secretly waste everyones time by telling them to not follow their passions, while he's being hypocritical following his passion.

[@a3m0natst84]

XD

[@theviniso]

mind=blown

[@samanthaolmos9450]

Jorge Camotes hun I got the advice I was just trying to be humorous and sarcastic 🐸☕️

[@grinklinofficial]

omg I am dead reading this

[@ramabodwal2569]

haha. true.

[@n.a7993]

INCOMING: existential crisis!

[@thelonedreamer9050]

IKR, everything I've been working towards is all begginning to feel meaningless.

[@chewyvanillacloud]

Nanna Andersen I feel the same , this year is my last year in uni and I have no idea what to do with my life, having no purpos makes me question so many things including why do I exist !!

[@n.a7993]

I just visited the university I had been planning to go to and now im not sure if I actually want to go there! partially because of this video.. omg..

[@KpopInYourArea95]

Me rn as I get closer to graduating from university next June. Don't know what to do since I decided to leave my original plan.

[@Raphael-fi8hd]

Seek Jesus

[@jackforester8456]

Every job is valuable and can potentially help others, so I don't think "do what is valuable" is a good way of discriminating between a good and a bad career choice. Passions can help others, passions can give a meaning. The amount of people that have a love-hate relationship with their job and regret not following their passion is just too huge. I would say everyone should at least try

[@bingbong2179]

The idea was that you do a job that YOU think is valuable. Ofc you can just say "all jobs are valuable" but that's completely missing the point. Not to mention that he said you discover passion as a result of that. Not sure if you watched or understood anything from this video at all. All he's basically saying is that passion is a result of value but not all passions are valuable hence you want to start with the first and then go for the second

[@jackforester8456]

@@bingbong2179 I've watched the video a while ago and I thought his concepts were badly expressed. I have to recognize though that at least he doesn't explain things in that condescending tone of yours.

[@dakshnair5550]

It changed my perspective forever. Being a teen it was important for me to choose a career. This video was suggested by another career advisor who helped us choose our career. I wanted to become a doctor the whole time but he made me reconsider that. Thank you Benjamin Todd for opening my eyes!

[@denizgul6131]

My passion is science and technology, lucky me

[@eggn00dle36]

He did a philosophical study on careers, he did partly pursue his passion

[@chaimaesan6754]

😂

[@safaezarouf7342]

so true !!!

[@Amgerlly]

that's true :0

[@Thunder_5122]

It's incredible ironic that he is telling us we don't follow our interests or passions. He is working on his passion, he thought about what he should do, and then he founded a company to research it because he wanted, even when himself admitted he was shy and interesting in science, so, he didn't have the necessary skills to do his current job. In another words, he is doing something what he felt curious about when he was younger, and something he didn't know how do it correctly. He become his interest into job, developed his skills and figured out how give value to people. So, why shouldn't we do the same? Follow our passions, think how become that into job and be very happy. Of course, I know that it simply doesn't work for everyone. Have a nice day. Pda: English is not my first language, any correction would be accepted :"D

[@amarantha7210]

I don’t want to be useful for others. Serving others is what I’ve been doing since I was born, and now I just want to feel happy at least once in this life.

[@robertotellez3142]

After watching most of the video and reading some of the comments, I get that everyone has their own experience, you can't base what you want to study on numbers, there's no secret formula, you just have to live and figure your own life out, everybody gets a different outcome, and at the end, they all just did their thing.

[@callum7081]

Doing what's valuable is the same as following your passion a lot of times.

[@WaaDoku]

This is a talk every high school student should get to hear. Although I can't help but think this kind of advice is most valuable for a very specific type of person.

[@HikengoSeekers]

I'm 48 and I have been informed that I'm going through a mid-life crises because I'm searching for a new meaning in my life. I think I'm finally getting it; "I will be happiest doing exactly what I love most, and I will achieve my very best, doing what I love, while living a Altruism lifestyle"!

[@hieninh6885]

this video is partially helpful. I think there are basically two kinds of people: the ones who have a strong passion (i suppose these people are just the minority) and the ones who are between interests or not interested in a certain thing (unfortunately, from personal observation, most of us). With the first type, they should definitely follow their passion because it is probably the only way to bring about satisfaction and happiness. I have a friend, who is crazily passionate about maths. He said to me that all he wants to do in life is to resolve maths problems and discover something new in the field. he said that he would become a mathematician (although this job is not really well paid in my country) or he would regret forever. So, for these people, it seems to be redundant to give them advice on career choice. when u are really passionate abt sth, u know what to do. Like in The Voice, i see many people come on stage when they are seventy or older. When they were young, they have to do another job to make both ends meet, support the family and so on. but their passion as a child tells them to do so. Otherwise, they will always wonder what would it be if they did sth different. With the second type, the ones without a specific interest, this video may be helpful. If u dont love something so much, let's explore neglected issues and do sth meaningful. I read in "what I wish I knew when I was twenty" by Tina Seelig that you should make meaning rather than make money. maybe during doing something meaningful u will finally encounter ur dream. or at least this way keeps you from being out of jobs lol :) Anyway, I think he made a compelling presentation and his idea is thought provoking. Above all, career choice is a personal option. it is the best if u can make decision yourself, using your own brain and heart. in case u can't, refering to the advice in this video may help! thanks

[@luqcrusher]

Hiền Đinh Well thought out response. Kudos!

[@keilanhamilton7514]

I definitely agree with your view. Certain people are really passionate about their work. Such passion does end up leading to tremendous success. I believe that there are also a lot of people that aren't sure what their true passions are. The word passion seems to be applied to lightly by the speaker. A passion I's when you have A burning desire to accomplish something. I would love to see more of how the statistical data defined passion as a word. A passion isn't just a interest as the speaker is mentioning. A passion I's apart of who you are. Nice reply and amazing Ted Talk to reflect upon.

[@laylarami7387]

Hiền Đinh what about the people alike me, the ones who are beyond passionate and have multiple dreams,the ones which change their mind constantly jet every decision is still fully and exclusively driven by passion. That's me, were I refuse to listen to people at school when they tell me that I need a back up plan,or that's aiming to high or simply not believing in me. Also have the burden of not being academically smart at high school or secondary school level therefore I have nothing to back me up. I fully know that what ever field I choose to go in, academic or not it el will be million times different that we're I am today. And although I am determined, the words and disbelief still has an effect and grows on me slowly but surely, and I have too keep reminding myself that I am inteligente and have in me to be successful x

[@Jbat1014]

Preach

[@evevl9891]

Hiền Đinh Oh your English Shooked me out. Your name tell me that you are Vietnamese ? Right ?

[@MelvilleG]

I did what's valuable for more than 12 years - I've been an architect. I have had myself convinced that this is a not only a profitable career, but also socially beneficial and prestigious. And it had a little something to do with what I was passionate about. Now I must say that in those 12 years a residing hatred towards architecture evolved in me. Trust me people - doing something you don't really like, but what is good for the society - is like living with a woman you don't love, but whom all neighbours praise. In other words - waste of lifetime regardless of what that boy says.

[@Woofers617]

The problem I have with the argument of “do what’s valuable” is who’s defining “what is valuable?“ You could still be defining that value based on internalized fears or judgments , i.e. your parents, Western societal norms, your upbringing, your culture, etc. whereas I feel like the idea of “passion” makes you think more as an individual and act from a place that truly comes from within vs. from outside influences.

[@nummy2]

I was thinking the same thing!

[@kenyacwilson]

"Do what is valuable" - this is a new perspective for me, and I so appreciate it.

[@Super-id7bq]

This is all based on one fundamentally flawed assumption which is that a career has to be something you do for the rest of your life. I have have had a number of shitty jobs, but also 3 of what you might call careers. I follow my interests and I make the most of them until I find something that interests me more and I pivot towards that. I'm now in my 30's and I've had a successful career in music, then professional theatre and now film and if I find something else that interests me I'll likely start over again. You can have a job that benefits you more than others and still contribute to a better world, your sense of humanity and charity doesn't end when you turn off the lights and go home. Trust me, don't live your life like you get to do it again. You do it once and then it's over, no replays, no second attempts. Make the most of it.

[@mostunique5941]

Kraig I want to do sound engineering but I'm not sure. My dad is a boss of a big company and is more on the "study hard, get a good job" side but my mum just wants me to pass my subjects. I'm in Australia so the music industry isn't really a thing here. What age did you decide " I want to go into music"? I'm great with software and love learning how to use it. I also like making compositions but at my school we only have GarageBand and I already have better software then that, so school can't help me but then I'm bored because Ive already used the sounds on my software multiple times ( Ive tried to edit the sounds so they sound different but that only stays interesting for so long). My parents won't spend more money as the software cost quite a bit already which means at the moment I'm bored. I'm 15 so ill be waiting sooooo long to go to university and I seriously just can't wait that long. Its like knowing your good at something and you know you could be successful and good at your job but instead your stuck in a place that is trying to teach you Shakespeare. I'm looking for some guidance, I'm stuck.

[@mostunique5941]

Yea, a lot has changed over that 3 weeks, I hate to admit I'm struggling right now but I am. I'm trying to look after my friends ( one has autism and I have to keep a constant eye on him ). The others are alright but their "Experimenting". Hard to keep a bunch boys from fighting each other and try to keep them out of trouble. I don't have much me time. To get a job would just drain me completely, even odd jobs. I'm just trying to concentrate on my mental health and developing a good work ethic as I am now completing all the work my classes give me. I have touched a keyboard twice in the last 3 weeks. I've lost the passion for music in all honesty, although I still like to listen to music when doing assignments. Sorry for the rant but got nowhere else I can say this.

[@mostunique5941]

Aly Dreamer Thanks for the advice, my school holidays started a week ago and ive gotta say, I feel normal again. You kinda right, maybe I do put too much pressure on myself just for my friends. I mean ive always been like this with my friends and its usually helps them a ton. But I can only help them for so long. Maybe now ill just help my friends when their prepared to listen to my advice. Thanks👍

[@MrsCluffRN]

As you grow older, your "career" can change many times. Especially as a woman I noticed I was able to work as a full time RN much more than when I was a young mom with 3 kids at home. And now, being a disabled grandmother, my "career" or life purpose has changed yet again.. Be open to change!

[@thischarminglovehound2376]

Well said!! I'm pushing thirty and want to go back to school to get an entirely different career.. You're so right when you say that you must only have one career for the rest of your life,

[@Nicken0o0]

I cried when i saw the title. My passion is art. My work? I don't have work. So I'm lost, actually.

[@Nicken0o0]

***** that was what I'm tryinf to do right now. But unfortunately I don't have a family that support me. Wish me luck, anyway. :D

[@cheyennezarate9154]

You can find a career that is linked to art within digital media, or you can do work in other fields that is valuable to many people/gives you financial stability and simply have more time to create your art just because you want to. We always make things so black and white, ie. I love art, therefore I must be an artist. No, I love drawing too, but I am aware that at this point in time, I can make more of a difference learning social media marketing and spreading that knowledge to others to help them find financial freedom. With this freedom, they can use their time for altruism, and of course just a little bit of selfish time to do what they love as well.

[@attoooh]

Nicken0o0 you can fix old artworks... and be payed well and still work with art. art is not just creating... ppl keeps forgetting it. there's no new art without the study of the older one.

[@SylviaEvilKitty]

Nicken0o0 Good luck, stranger! ^^)/

[@newtonia-uo4889]

Nicken0o0 nc, get a good job and persue art on the side.

[@jahnavi.youtube]

I think we should do both focusing on our interests and finding out what's best for us There might be a chance that following our interests and passion might help others as well 💜

[@sarahd1706]

I like keeping my hobbies separate from work so that I have something refreshing to turn to that isn’t an obligation. Unfortunately, I have a job that puts me in a position kind of like a chef. For some, if you’re cooking all day every day for work, the last thing you want to do when you get home is cook more, even though it’s a daily need. I would love a job that just stays at work, & is different from the rest of my life.

[@tylermcnally9931]

It is definitely a combination of passion and value. You should pursue your passions, develop them into skills and then place yourself based on what society values and what your skills are. So you are, basically, still following your passion. The important caveat is that people are more fulfilled when the skills of their passion improve the lives of others. Value is a societal concept, so you won't produce value to everyone, but if you pick a large enough area of people who value a specific thing and provide that to them, you will be much more fulfilled in your endeavor.

[@davidblairmusic]

+Tyler McNally I think the key point of his speech was to ask the question - how to find a fulfilling career. His argument is to differentiate passion from interests. People confuse those two, as anything can be your passion if you feel fulfilled doing it, and interests change over your lifetime. Elon Musk is quoted as saying that you get paid proportionally to the size of problem you solve.

[@coldspring22]

+David Blair No, in current capitalistic society, you don't get paid in proportion to what important problems you solve. Just look at investment bankers or high frequency trading extracting billions of dollars. What important problems did they solve to get rich? Yes Elon Musk learned how to make money from Stock Market. But what practical problems did Elon Musk solve? Tesla: Cheap ev with super light battery and long range? Nope, just another super expensive electric car with super heavy battery. So heavy it cannot be even jacked up by layman when tire gets punctured. Space-X: Space elevator or EM rail gun launcher for super cheap launches to orbit? Nope, just plain old chemical rocket with legs a la flash gorden. Elon musk wants to put a Million men on Mars? Where are the Space-X colonial ships departing for Mars? Elon Musk seem to be another Howard Hughes, a tycoon highly successful at becoming rich, but not really producing new breakthroughs for important issues facing the society. Well I take that back. If Elon Musk ever measures up to Howard Hughes, who was also incredibly brave, I would be shocked!

[@BanglishBoy]

+coldspring22 I'd say Paypal was a pretty practical problem solved by Musk.

[@dreigningking]

I think he's right in his highlight of value as the first thing one should find. Although, you're also right by saying ultimately "one is still following/pursuing passion". But he's point is, there are many people who have both passion and interest for something, yet they have not been able to create any value out of it. Such people often require someone else who sees value in what they're doing, to make it appealing to the eyes of others. On the other hand, when you identify value as the first thing, you're more likely to find an interest in one part or all of the parts of that thing, for which you can passionately pursue...

[@labrujanat]

As someone who doesn't really have a passion, and would just like to find a job I'm happy at, this was insightful.

[@karthigah_careerguru]

I watched this 2 years ago. When I was lost and clueless about my career. Now I know what I want to do. What is my purpose. Thank you so much.

[@lindaroach1]

I've come to believe that our joy is our offering to the world. We must start loving ourselves and practicing good self-care - again that's how we serve. I applaud his selfless perspective, but we should not do things at the cost of our own mental, spiritual and physical well-being.

[@sokargo2194]

Exactly. Right now I’m in between Sociology or Digital Arts. I find Sociology a bit depressing and if you have a degree in sociology, it doesn’t mean that you are going to help the world. Whereas Digital Arts was always something joyful and interesting for me.

[@ninabeach1]

sleeping seems the only thing i love doing, im thinking to launch a career around that, mattress/pillow tester for start, anyone hiring?x

[@aminesami1936]

ninabeach1 vibration pillows to replace alarms 😍

[@alexs555]

ninabeach1 you could have a mattress review site! Share your experiences, help others make good buying choices. Needless to say, there's money in it too!

[@EdriczZ_]

vibration pillows already exist for people with bad hearing, it should definitely become available for people with normal hearing as well though

[@sablelion]

this market is already packed

[@mjsousa9762]

Ask NASA - they do studies/tests that require people to lie in bed for days/weeks on end.

[@eliciagarcia3601]

This made me cry because I’m in my early twenties and had extreme stress over trying to figure out what to do with my life and then I wound up starting a charity that gets homeless kids off the street and ended up taking my career in that direction. I was feeling anxious wondering if maybe I made the wrong choice cause I’m not sure what I’m suppose to do and maybe I should do something “cool” that’s related to a passion I have. I was doing weird strange things like comparing myself to celebrities with grandiose highly romantic lives and feeling like a failure in comparison. Just a lot of confusion. I’m glad I randomly came across this video. Having an altruistic career is good and their is no career you’re “suppose” to have nor does your career define you as a person. It’s how you make a living and contribute. Trying to figure out career is a lot of anxiety in the early twenties!! It’s like “I dunno 🤷🏼‍♀️. Well what’s the point of life? Why am I on this planet? What am I suppose to do? I dunno.”

[@the_donsavio]

Hope you find peace.

[@kasuntharanga7376]

Read books on Buddhism

[@nancywhite3501]

The point of life is much deeper than career. I have had several careers. I have searched and studied many topics to determine my ultimate career. Some people have a sense of calling to a career. Some people have a sense of destiny. Some people, like myself, just have a slow-burning motivation to seek understanding. In short, I seek perspective. If I could live my life over, I would make different choices in education and career, but, I would still be seeking perspective. It is who I am. Elicia, don't be discouraged. We are all like great swimmers who can swim in any depth of water---we can be many things, we can have various careers, etc., we can deal with many challenges, but whatever we do (wherever we swim) we still are still driven by some inner essence that is our true self and.....we will do what is in us (in my case--seek wisdom and seek perspective) no matter where we are. My guess is that it is impossible for any of us to fail in life because the purpose of life is to experience challenges and to work through them. Even success and failure are irrelevant. We may or may not feel happy. We may or may not feel fulfilled, but all my thoughts and studies lead me to believe that we cannot fail. We are living in a fabulous time wherein many ideas are now available through the internet. I believe that we humans collectively and individually cannot fail, we can only grow...as a species and individually. How can there be failure when growth is the goal? We are all an individual point in an endless galaxy of universes. Every choice you make is right because you are multi-faceted. To put it is spiritual terms--we are all a drop of God and in God we live and move and have our being. Meanwhile, live your earthly life with wisdom, compassion, and peace. Whatever you do is just fine.

[@OneRandomLeo]

"Do what's valuable" is great advice! Now, it is also true that people have very different and sometimes opposing ideas on what is valuable or purposeful, but maybe if we all do what we think is valuable, we can appreciate and respect others for what they are doing. They believe in their own cause as much as you believe in yours.

[@ladybird491]

I am a writer, and a brilliant writer, especially in poetry. I never had a passion for poetry, I always just had absolutely love for it, and a hunger to know everything about it, and I wake up each day wanting to do it all day until I pass out. I write poetry to teach about life, and teach young writers how to use poetry to express how they feel deep down inside.

[@Bethycakesable]

A deeply depressed young man is on the phone with his therapist. After working with the young man for months and seeing little improvement, the therapist is at a loss. He says to the young man, “look around you and think about one simple thing you could possibly do for another human being right now - I will hold, think about this and go do it. I will hang on the line however long it takes.” The young man thought about this and said, “well the old woman across the way has a lot of dead leaves and old flyers cluttering up her door step. She used to keep it tidy and with flowers. I could go over there and sweep up the leaves and dispose of the old flyers.” The therapist says, “good you go over there and do that, I will hold on the line.” After sweeping up the leaves and disposing of the old flyers, the young man returns to the phone. He admits to his therapist that he felt elevated for the first time in months by this simple exercise of giving. Doing what is valuable is subjective. If we can realize a value in what we are doing, almost anything can bring happiness and success. (True story, heard on the radio years ago.)

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

When did they finally discover the old woman's body Beth?

[@zdfvbadfbadb]

LOL. I thought the twist was that it was therapist who lived across the street and next she was going to talk him into mowing the lawn or repairing the shingles.

[@omarh8731]

thank you for sharing this Beth!

[@vishnuamritha]

Well said . .. realising a value in whatt we are doing is the correct thing that everyone should give a hand

[@PauloCesar-nk7jf]

"Doing what is valuable is subjective. If we can realize a value in what we are doing, almost anything can bring happiness and success"

[@JOE324WILD]

Ask yourself this: Did you ever in your youth ever think, "oh I want to pay bills, get a degree and a job?" No. Nobody ever dreamt of such thought.

[@andrewhough8912]

Joseph Wild you do in your teens, it's important to know which path and studies you will take to attain a certain career

[@JOE324WILD]

We was never born to do such things society compels us to do.

[@JOE324WILD]

That's good to hear. If you enjoy working, that's all that matters. What I mean is, most people in today's society do things because they have to do, just because of one thing: money.

[@inHell-rb]

Yap, and we wonder why we get more and more psychological issues. I'm feeling that You are on the right way. Seeing things clearly. As long as we search for external solutions, we wont be able to end this search. The advise he gave is meant for a specific meta/dimension (=western society); its like solving all political issues with only one political concept(/direction). Life is complex and multifaceted. Try to focus on more then one thing. It's always good to split up needs and manage them wisely. For example: If you got many friends you can manage your needs fairly so that your expectations matches what that person could offer. - But no... these day we are lazy and we want all now.

[@GustavoRivasMendez]

Money organizes society, and makes it work together. Thanks to working together we were able to create civilization, advance science, improve life, and create new innovative art. No one is forcing you to do anything. You are perfectly free to go live isolated in the forest where no one will ask you to work and produce value. You'll probably die if you don't work the land to produce some food though. Or hunt animals or something.

[@VincentTseng]

Thx for reminding myself that my career is valuable. I’ve been struggling to enjoy my career like I used to. Now I am calmer about my choices

[@pedroramos5477]

Very good! For someone like me, with some personal experience in following a passion, this talk is remarkably accurate. The only advice i can give, is that in hindsight, when we are young we are blinded by our passion, so the best is probably go out and do it, and not be moaning the rest of the life about not having tried. Eventually we will get there, with the insightful help of people like Benjamin Todd.

[@Sulerhy]

This video is just appropriate for someone who does not have any passion of their life. If you have a real passion, everything you try sometimes make burn out but you will never regret it. You have a passion, your heart always leads you to your life purpose

[@CrestialWintersmith]

My passions are reading and storytelling. But the job that I want is to become a journalist. Basically my job is about the same as my passion.

[@devitamayasari4794]

good! that's great! you are on the 40% people with the same job and passion. congrats!

[@MxStella]

Where did you get that number, devita?

[@mariacassandrataruc2574]

im mediocre in telling stories..any tips?

[@CrestialWintersmith]

Cassandra Taruc just tell your story. That's all. Make sure it's original.

[@mariacassandrataruc2574]

oh.

[@redburtley6021]

This is great. Someone with no experience telling you how you should live.

[@Overachiever2056]

has passions 0-1:10 How do I choose a fulfilling career 1:10-1:40 80,000 hrs (Company) 1:40-2:45 *****Career advice today nad before 2:45-3:45 Breaking down today's career advice 3:50-4:50 Going in deep 1st step 4:50-5:40 2nd step 5:40-6:00 3RD step 6:05-8:25 What to actually do 8:25-10:25 Back to passions again and why its wrong 10:43-11:30 Actionable steps 11:35-13:20 Looking back at your work 13:20-to the end

[@tealrose3248]

My theory is: think about what you would do with your time if you didn't have to think about how to pay your bills. Then think about how to get the world to pay you enough money to cover your bills while doing that. If you can't do that, your next best is to find something you don't mind doing for a living, that pays enough money that you don't have to put in a depressing number of hours getting your bills paid so you still have time to do what you want.

[@LancelotGraal]

Now that's good advice :) That's the path I followed. If I didn't have bills to pay, I'd just read and read and learn and learn about loads of stuff. And then, I'd go talk to people about it, mainly kids, cause I like kids. So the answer was quite easy, actually. I'm training to be a teacher. I'll have to always keep reading new stuff and keep my knowledge up to date, mainly on what's the best way to motivate kids, how to avoid conflicts, how to make sure I'm actually teaching what I expect them to succeed at.

[@zeb9826]

@@LancelotGraal well that's something I've been thinking about lately, thanks for giving more thought food. Do you have enough free time as a teacher to pursue your other hobbys or is it like a student, having "homework" after work ?

[@micutzul135s4]

This is the comment i m looking for :D

[@yasminflower5140]

If i don't have to think about bills, i will probably stay at the beach all day , making tea and coffee ......can the world pay me to do it please?🥺

[@pandax5359]

@@yasminflower5140 Get some plastic surgery and be an influencer

[@kirkbokiluis1985]

Sorry, it was when I finally turned to my passion, music, is when I became myself and as the saying goes, the rewards came in many forms....most of all, I l realize how lucky and blessed my life has been.

[@TitanCoach]

As a career and leadership coach I’m glad to see this talk. Too many people go through life on auto pilot and wonder why they find themselves feeling empty. 👍

[@deeptime5581]

Passion is nothing. Experience is everything. How can you find out about who you are and what you want to do until you actually do it. Don't think too much. Just do. So called failure is the best teacher.

[@lepredator189]

Why the fuck is it always art, music, sports, hobbies? Why not math, medicine, science, accounting? Anyone know what I'm tryna say?

[@dramawind]

Neeeeeeeerd!!

[@deepthidayanand]

no its because those fields are usually expected of people unlike the formers

[@EmilioKolomenski]

Maybe culture? Check out how much exposure each of those gets from mass media and the children oriented industries (toys, games, etc.) and tell me if it's unreasonable.

[@sahasra5991]

LePredator1 exactly!

[@kamehameha5742]

LePredator1 because art music and sports are generally perceived as more fun than math medicine science and stuff. I think you are trying to say that you're a NEEERRRDDD. lmao jk do wat ever the hell makes u happy peace out

[@maikenmilter4381]

Saving this vid, so I can come back to this golden comment section - and hopefully one day share how follwing my passion worked out for me xD

[@EE3rd]

Same

[@vinayaknimavat3158]

So how's it going?

[@EE3rd]

@@vinayaknimavat3158 Still in school, give me a few more yearrs

[@ThedGrill]

And did it work out?

[@simonnestarrk7665]

so which one was your greater passion, school or the comment section?

[@yennaaah_7880]

Am I the only person that tells to myself that "I'll be a doctor." when he said, "Do what's valuable". And then, immediately backs off when he said, "Don't think that in order to do what's valuable, you have to become a doctor, and personally go to Africa, and help people with your own two hands"?

[@laurabeltran3746]

Funny because I used to think like so for years, then was told by many that I shouldn't think about others when making a college major choice but only about me and my interests. The thing is that that advice people gave me just confused me even more because I'm a pretty curious person so I started navigating through endless possibilities of majors, even in arts cause as said here it is a thing that humans are passionate in arts. It drove me mad cause I couldn't pinpoint one major that would really interest me. But now trying to think back like this as finding a career path that will eventually lead me to a meaningful cause really calms me down again. In the end, I think I can be satisfied with any of the many majors I've considered and I can be fulfilled by making it work into something I find really valuable at heart. I'm gonna keep this thought in mind, thank you for this talk.