2025-03-20
Many of us can probably agree that passion has become one of those trite words that sounds inspiring in Instagram bios but absolutely terrifying when someone asks you to “pick one” at age 19. Or 23. Or 30. Especially when you're the kind of person who falls in love with a new idea every week, casually runs six side projects for fun, and starts coding an app while also writing a 10-paragraph blog post about closure and joy and healing and that one Cannes festival look that rubbed you the wrong way (a little too much). Obviously, passion will always represent something special for each person that takes one (or more!) on. But it’s not meant as a substitute for one’s idea of a mundane activity — caveat being, of course, society’s pressure may sometimes make it feel like that’s exactly what it is.
To tell you the truth, a passion isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s a passion because everything you feel passionate about comes with both the ups and downs. Often times, that means obsessing so much over something that you’re playing Kendrick at full volume to help crank out the last few bits, even though your hips beg you to rise from your chair. On other occasions, that means letting out audible frustrations and getting up to go for a walk and clear your head… only to come back and experience the rollercoaster all over again. A passion is supposed to feel real. And messy. And occasionally annoying.
So, from one recovering overachiever to another, here are 6 brutally honest truths I’ve learned about passion. Ones I would’ve told my 17-year-old self when she was starting to discover hers.
1. Passion isn’t a lightning bolt. It’s a breadcrumb trail.
Everyone talks about “that moment” when passion hits you. As if it’s some divine revelation that shows up on your doorstep wearing a name tag that says “Lifelong Calling.”
Nope. No, no, and… no!
Most of the time, it starts quietly. Like the first time I edited a video and felt weirdly at peace. Or when I taught myself how to build a portfolio website and accidentally enjoyed it more than my actual homework. Or when I started treating my Instagram as a little tech startup: testing, iterating, tweaking content strategies like I was shipping a product. At first, I didn’t even call it passion. I just called it “trying stuff.” But that’s how it begins. Not with clarity, but with curiosity.
2. Passion doesn’t always come easy, and it definitely doesn’t always stay.
People think that once you find it, you’ve made it. But truthfully? You will fall in and out of love with your passions over and over again.
And that doesn’t mean they’re fake. It just means you’re the one who’s growing.
What felt right sophomore year might not fit post-grad. What lit you up before might now feel... heavy. You’re allowed to mourn that. And you’re allowed to move on. Some passions are soulmates. Others are just beautiful flings that taught you something real. Once you can realize that some come, others are here to stay — just like the “best” friends from 3rd grade you did turkey handprints with only to find the ones who you suffered through 4th grade’s division unit with were the real ones —, you become more aware of what it is that you’ll consistently want to put in effort for.
3. You don’t need to monetize everything you love. (Please, I beg.)
We’re living in a time where every hobby is expected to become a business. Paintings are sometimes expected to have corresponding commission pages. Coders believe a personal project should go on to become the next big SaaS product. And so much more.
But sometimes, the best thing you can do is keep a passion just for you.
Let it be messy. Let it be unserious. Let it be terrible. The joy of doing something purely because it fills you up is priceless. Not every interest has to be part of your “brand.” Not every skill needs a pitch deck. Sometimes the most fulfilling projects are the ones no one sees… except for you.
4. Passion will occasionally feel like work. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
Even the things you love will exhaust you.
The blog posts that start with a burst of inspiration might still end in frustration. The coding projects that make you feel alive one day might bore you the next. The startup you’re building might be the most exciting and stressful thing you’ve ever done all at once.
That doesn’t mean it’s the wrong path. It means you’re invested. Passion doesn’t mean you’re happy 24/7. It means you’re willing to keep showing up, even when it’s hard. (With breaks. And snacks. And ideally a 3-day Pinterest reset.)
5. Your passion doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you.
Sometimes, passion shows up in weird combinations. Like being a product designer and a poet. A data scientist and a dancer. A founder and a girl who still misses her childhood dog (guilty!).
The people around you might not get it. They might ask why you're “doing so much” or “not just focusing on one thing.”
That’s okay.
You don’t need to explain your fire to someone who’s never felt the same spark. Your vision is valid, even if it’s not linear. Especially if it’s not linear.
6. You don’t find your passion. You build it intentionally, tenderly, and sometimes accidentally.
The biggest lie is that passion is waiting for you somewhere, and you just have to stumble into it.
The truth is that you create it. Every time you choose to stay curious. Every time you try something new. Every time you reflect, refine, and keep going — even when it feels uncomfortable.
Passion is a living, breathing thing. It’s not just what excites you. It’s what challenges you, grounds you, stretches you. It’s the moment you realize you’re not just following an interest, but becoming someone through it.
So what now?
I don’t have all the answers. But here’s what I do know:
You’re allowed to change directions. You’re allowed to care deeply about something that doesn’t make sense to your resume. You’re allowed to love things out loud, and you’re allowed to grieve them in silence. You’re allowed to be a little chaotic, a little poetic, and still entirely ambitious.
And above all, you’re allowed to trust that your passion will meet you exactly where you are. Not when you’re perfect, but when you’re present.
So breathe. Take the next step. And maybe open another tab! You never know where it’ll lead.