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- The Lie of the Passion-Driven Life
In partnership with
The Dream We’re Sold
friend I used to believe passion would save me.
That if I found “the thing I loved,”
I’d wake up energized, work wouldn’t feel like work, and burnout would never catch me again.
I chased it through different projects. Writing, freelancing, coaching, content.
Each one started strong. Each one eventually… didn’t.
And every time I lost motivation,
I thought it meant I’d picked the wrong path.
So I’d pivot. Again.
But here’s what I learned the hard way:
Losing energy doesn’t always mean you’re off track.
It might just mean you’re human.
Before I go any further let me wish all mothers a Happy Mothers Day!!!
Why Passion Isn’t Enough
We don’t talk enough about the fact that
even meaningful work gets heavy.
Even when you’re aligned, there are still days where everything feels like effort.
And if your business is built entirely on staying “lit up,” you’ll burn out the second the spark dims.
The simple truth passion doesn’t last.
It fades. It shifts. It goes quiet when life gets loud.
So what do you do then?
"Losing excitement doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It just means you’re finally walking it."
“You don’t have to be fired up every day to do meaningful work.
You just have to keep showing up.”
Passion is the spark. But structure is the fuel.
What to Build Around Instead
These days, I’ve stopped asking, “Am I excited by this?”
Instead, I ask:
→ Can I keep doing this when no one’s watching?
→ Would I still care if it didn’t feel new?
→ Does this hold up when things get boring, hard, or quiet?
Because that’s what I actually need from my work.
Not just passion, but commitment.
Not just love, but resilience.
A Better Kind of Fuel
If you’ve been doubting yourself because the excitement is gone,
you’re not alone.
It doesn’t mean the work isn’t worth doing.
It doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice.
It just means you’re building something real.
Unsplash
Something you’ll stick with even when it doesn’t feel perfect.
That’s all for today.
See you tomorrow!
Cheers,
Stephen
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