What To Do When Youre Not Passionate About Your Job

What To Do When You're Not Passionate About Your Job Q: I feel “meh” about working â€" am I supposed to be more passionate? I read all the letters here, and it feels like everybody loves their job and are passionate about it. Need to be honest: I don’t love mine. I fell into it and just kept going with it because it paid decently and allowed me to not to have to worry about what I was going to do after college. Now, 15 years later… I feel almost stuck, like it might be too late to change what I am doing with my life (and to be honest, I have no idea what I want to do with my life; I work to live, and that’s fine by me). However, I am okay with that. I am not particularly ambitious with my work. Middle management is fine with me, and I dream of the day I can retire. I like my coworkers, my job is fine. However, I feel guilty that I am ok with “fine,” like I should I be ambitious, and wanting more, more, more. Am I the only one out there who doesn’t really love their work and their job? Who just… does it because they have to? A: You’re so very, very normal! In fact, as far as I know, you’re actually in the majority. Most people work to live, aren’t especially passionate about their jobs, and aren’t super ambitious. Most people work to get food and housing, not for emotional or spiritual fulfillment. There are people who are passionate about their work, but they’re the lucky exceptions, not the norm. Keep in mind, too, that that the people who read and comment on a work-related advice site are more likely to be particularly interested in work and career issues than the general population. So you’re not necessarily seeing a representative sampling here. If you are reasonably content and able to earn a living that allows you to support your life outside of work (and it sounds like you are), go on doing what you’re doing. Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  SharePlayback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio TrackFullscreenThis is a modal window. This video is either unavailable or not supported in this browser Error Code: MEDIA_ERR_SRC_NOT_SUPPORTED Technical details : No compatible source was found for this media. Session ID: 2019-12-30:49df85231e04673049c0222c Player Element ID: jumpstart_video_1 OK Close Modal DialogBeginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.PlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  Playback Rate1xFullscreenClose Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Read next: How to Learn to Love Your Job Again When You’re Feeling Burned Out Q: My manager showed me a job ad from another company and encouraged me to apply for it. Should I be worried? My manager recently showed me a current vacancy in the papers and encouraged me to apply if I want to. But I’ve only been employed in this organization for four months and I’m still being trained. Is this a good or bad sign? A: I don’t know! It could be that your manager is one of those people who’s always on the lookout for development opportunities for other people â€" although she should have thought about how an employee would take that kind of thing, especially a new employee. Or she could know something that you don’t â€" that your job is unstable in some way. But instead of speculating and worrying, why not just ask her? I’d say this: “I’ve been wondering about why you showed me that job opening the other day. I’m really happy in my current role and hope to stay here for a long time, but our conversation made me wonder if you have concerns about whether it’s the right fit.” These questions are adapted from ones that originally appeared on Ask a Manager. Some have been edited for length. More From Ask a Manager: “Do what you love” is not great advice When a job application asks if your current employer can be contacted Should I be worried that my manager doesn’t return calls for references?