113 REAIR SUMMER - Jon Jachimowicz: Should You Follow Your Passion?
Sep 8, 2023
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Jon Jachimowicz, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School, discusses the complex link between passion and productivity. He explores how passion can lead to exhaustion and emphasizes the importance of maintaining passion in the long run. The podcast also touches on cultural differences in pursuing passion, challenges faced in discovering one's passions, and the struggle to balance financial return and personal values.
Passion is not fixed and can lead to exhaustion if not managed properly.
The cultural emphasis on pursuing passion at work can be exclusionary and exacerbate inequalities.
Discovering one's passion involves self-reflection and understanding personal values.
Deep dives
Passion is complex and can lead to exhaustion
Passion is not a fixed trait, but a strong and intense affective experience tied to values. Research shows that the link between passion and productivity is more nuanced than commonly believed. One study found that being passionate about work can lead to longer working hours and feelings of empowerment, but also difficulty detaching from work, resulting in emotional exhaustion on the following day. Emotionally exhausted individuals have fewer resources available for passion in subsequent days, leading to a cycle where passion drains over time. The study also revealed that feeling in control of your passion and having the ability to detach from work can mitigate the negative effects of passion.
Passion does not have to be solely pursued at work
The cultural emphasis on pursuing passion at work can be exclusionary and exacerbate inequalities. The idea that everyone should find passion in their profession disregards the various roles and responsibilities individuals have. Pursuing passion outside of work is a valid and fulfilling approach. People can create a passion portfolio where they balance their passions across different domains of life, considering relational, financial, and other needs. Placing a market value on passion can introduce competition, self-doubt, and external expectations, detracting from the intrinsic value and enjoyment of pursuing one's passions.
Finding and defining passion is a complex process
Discovering one's passion involves deeper self-reflection and understanding of personal values. Passion is not a one-dimensional concept but can manifest in different behaviors and activities that align with what individuals care about. Exploring the different roles and values fulfilled by passions can help individuals find alternative ways to engage in activities that align with their deeply held values. While some individuals may struggle to identify their passions, it is a personal journey influenced by self-insight, identity clarity, and self-expansion. The challenge lies in accepting and adapting to changes in what one cares about over time.
The Importance of Taking Time Off and Managing Work
Taking time off from work and engaging in leisure activities is essential for psychological detachment and replenishment. The study found that people felt more psychologically detached after a long Labor Day weekend compared to a regular weekend, highlighting the significance of leisure time activities for recovery. It emphasizes the importance of scheduling and managing work to prioritize self-care and prevent burnout.
The Challenges of Pursuing Passion at Work and in Life
Passion can be pursued both at work and in different domains of life. However, pursuing passion at work is not the only valid way to make a difference or find fulfillment. There can be various limitations and expectations associated with different professions. It is crucial to understand that pursuing one's passion requires endurance and may involve hardship. It is also important to find balance and not get overwhelmed by setting unrealistic expectations or striving to change the world overnight. Pursuing passion does not have to be limited to work and can manifest in various ways throughout one's life.
Welcome to Week 7 of our REAIR SUMMER! From this week till September 21st, we will be revisiting some of our favorite episodes around topics related to personal development and self-improvement!
Eric chats with Jon Jachimowicz, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School. Jon studies people’s passion for work, specifically how people can pursue, fall out of, and maintain their passion over time. He also studies how people perceive inequality. Jon has won numerous academic awards and was listed as a Poets & Quants 40 under 40 honoree and Forbes 30 under 30.
In this episode, Eric and Jon chat about passion narratives at work and in life more generally. Jon discusses his new, not-yet-published research on how passion one day can lead to more work on that day but cause exhaustion the next day. Jon argues that people do not have a fixed level of passion and that the link between passion and productivity is more complex than we might think. He then discusses how to maintain passion in the long run, at work and outside of work. Should we even pursue our passions? What does it mean to engage in “passion shaming”? How can passion narratives lead to more inequality? Do passion narratives vary across the world?
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