Google “how to be determined” or “how to stay motivated” or “achieve your dreams” and you’ll find millions of self-help pages dedicated to teaching you ways to do it all. Ways to be happy, ways to not stress, ways to finally achieve that goal that’s always been so elusive. And the advice can be helpful—even when you’ve heard the same thing a million different ways—sometimes it just takes one more variation on a theme for a concept to really click.

I’m determined. Determined to find what it is that I want to do with my life. Definitely a first-world problem, one I’m grateful to have. Guess how long this search has been ongoing? Over a decade. Any closer to figuring it out? MMMMMMM, a little. And boy does that rankle. Like the majority of the American population, I’ve spent years searching for my own personal contentment formula, a magic concoction of mind-set and confidence, designed to parse what it is exactly that I’m here for. The process is exhilarating and more often extremely frustrating. But maybe taking a break from the pursuit of happiness is a healthier choice. How so?

Mike Rowe, Dirty Jobs host, recently advised his fans NOT to follow their passion. It seems like such a scrooge-like attitude to hold, especially for a person who has found success doing something he enjoys. Additionally, where might the world be without those daring enough to surge past the limits set before them? People such as Steve Jobs, Malala Yousafzai, Elon Musk, Aayan Hirsi Ali, Edward Snowden, and many others? Well, Mike elaborated in a way more sincere and honest than many tired motivational tropes that surf the societal trends. His entire rejoinder is well worth the read (it’s in the photo description), but I’ll endeavor to summarize here: Yes, be passionate—yes, work hard—but be honest with yourself and your loved ones. Continue Reading