Dear Grads: Don T Do What You Love By Steve Jobs

During Steve Jobs’ speech at the Stanford graduation, he gives the students advice on how to be happy in one’s life and career. He tells the graduating students that they should follow their passions and do what they love. However, Jobs’ advice is not very sound, and it is even slightly biased. Of course he believes that one should do whatever they love. He did what he loved and ended up creating a company worth $605 billion. While most people would like to do this, it would be very unrealistic to drop out of college and follow this dream like Jobs did. Instead of chasing impractical aspirations, it is best to work to find meaning in a practical job that will provide financial stability, and pursue passions in spare time. Doing this will ensure
It also suggests that the work someone does is insignificant unless they are passionate about it. Although it may seem like it makes sense and is good advice, it is completely false. To prove this, Carl McCoy, author of “Dear Grads: Don’t Do What You Love,” asks, “Does the doctor love going into the hospital in the middle of the night to see a patient?” (467). The answer is most likely no, but just because he does not love it does not mean it is not great work. However, if this is looked at from Jobs’ point of view, the doctor’s work is unimportant. Doing great work does not have to only result from beginning a career with a passion. Even if the job that someone does is not entirely enjoyable or something that they would choose to do in their free time, they can begin to develop a passion and love for it as they work hard and advance their career. Jeff Haden, author of “Do What You Love? #@&** That!,” believes that passion is “not a prerequisite” for obtaining success. (464). Haden also says, “The satisfaction of achieving one level of success spurs you on to gain the skills to reach the next level, and the next, and the next. And one day you wake up feeling incredibly fulfilled” (464). Rather that attempting to turn a passion into a career,
He is clearly only looking at things from his point of view and experiences; he is giving advice without considering that it may not work out for everyone else. Jobs is not taking into account that many people do not have the luxury of being able to pursue a career in something that will likely not provide for them financially. Miya Tokumitsu, author of “In The Name of Love,” argues that having the ability to take a love for something and turn it into a career is “an unmerited privilege, a sign of that person’s socioeconomic class” (470). The majority of people that are looking for a job or career are looking at if the job will give them financial stability, not how it can bring more meaning to their life. Like Haden says, “a passion people won’t pay you for is hardly the basis for a career” (463). While doing what you love for a living seems ideal, it is ultimately unrealistic. McCoy gives a great example of this. He writes about the hardships that came along with following his passion, saying that “As someone who has tried living as a starving artist, I can attest that there’s nothing romantic or noble about being impoverished in pursuit of doing what you love” (466-467). Jobs makes it sound like building a career around your interests is something easy to do, when in reality it can be very difficult for most people. Many people do not even have one