• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

2

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

2

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
CommentaryCareers

Steve Jobs was wrong. Finding work that you love might be the worst thing you can do

By
Christopher Wong Michaelson
Christopher Wong Michaelson
and
Jennifer Tosti-Kharas
Jennifer Tosti-Kharas
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Christopher Wong Michaelson
Christopher Wong Michaelson
and
Jennifer Tosti-Kharas
Jennifer Tosti-Kharas
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 5, 2024, 8:34 AM ET
Christopher Wong Michaelson is a philosopher who studies the value of meaning and the meaning of value and teaches at the business schools of the University of St. Thomas and NYU. Jennifer Tosti-Kharas is a professor of management at Babson College who studies meaningful work. Their book, Is Your Work Worth It? was published in May 2024.
Courtesy of Stanford University

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Although the precise attribution of this quote remains elusive, the sentiment makes so much sense it can go unchallenged. No one wants work that is drudgery, where you count the minutes until you can leave every day. But loving your work may not always save you from it being work.

The pressure to love your work has been heating up this century, arguably starting with the seminal 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University by late Apple founder Steve Jobs. He encouraged the assembled graduates, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.” As college professors, we see a direct throughline between this statement and the students who shuffle into our offices to confess what they feel is a great failure: they haven’t yet identified what they might love to do. They feel aimless after graduation, sure that they won’t do great work, and might not love their lives as a result.

When we talk to students hoping to fall in love with their first job or working adults who still haven’t discovered their passion, we try to ease the pressure by dispelling some enduring myths that exist about loving work.

You should know what you love starting in childhood

Steve Jobs said, “I found what I loved to do early in life.” Yet, for every story of someone who always had a calling toward computers, music, or marine life, and pursued their passions as a career, there is someone who stumbled into their calling as a matter of happenstance.

There is no single, superior way to find work you love, and often it is a combination of idiosyncratic factors that make people feel they love their work. In short, we support Jobs’ recommendation to “keep looking,” whether within your current field or in other fields, to find work that seems worthy of your time and effort.

Doing what you love is a surefire way to make more money

So often people equate satisfaction at work with earning potential, as in the book title, Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow. Yet there is reason to believe that when you love what you do, you may not seek to maximize your earnings from work because you are more concerned with doing the work for its own sake.

In fact, one study found that people believe it is fair to pay people less who love what they do compared to those who do not. We advise those who do work they love to push back on the possibility that an employer may exploit their passion with less pay.

When you do work you love, life will be better

In general, people are happier when they love their work. However, there is evidence that this happiness can come at a cost to yourself and others.

When you love your work, it can be harder to maintain healthy boundaries between work and life. Failing to maintain these boundaries can lead to exhaustion and burnout, and personal relationships can suffer. Like any love, love for work can be all-consuming, so be careful work does not consume you.

The only way to do great work is to love what you do

The claim in Jobs’ speech makes intuitive sense, which explains why a study of managers found that they believed employees who loved their work performed better than those who did not love the work, even when this was not the case.

In fact, people who love their work may not always do a better job, and they are more critical and selective of both the work they do and with whom they work. You can perform high-quality work regardless of whether you love it, so don’t confuse passion with performance.

Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life

As alluring as it sounds, most people will not love what they do every minute of every day. In fact, expecting to love work all the time may result in disillusionment when the work falls short, even causing people to leave their jobs. Instead, look for work that has moments that feel like something like love, along with moments that might not.

Finding work you love does not guarantee a fulfilling life, nor does settling for jobs that you merely don’t hate. Rather, people should weigh what they get from work against what they give to do that work. Instead of seeking work that you love, perhaps instead you should seek work that uses your talents toward a worthwhile purpose for which you are treated and paid fairly—in other words, work worth loving.

More must-read commentary published by Fortune:

  • Simone Biles has really destigmatized mental health leave for millions of women
  • Private equity is devouring the economy as boomer entrepreneurs exit—but a new approach to employee ownership can change that
  • Gen Z’s enthusiasm for all things touchable is resurrecting the analog economy—and costing parents
  • The ‘Trump dump’ is back—and the stocks that he targets are crashing

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.

About the Authors
By Christopher Wong Michaelson
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Jennifer Tosti-Kharas
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Commentary

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Commentary

Richard McCathron is President & CEO, Hippo.
CommentaryInsurance
I’m leading a $100 million corporate turnaround. Here’s why I learned to distrust the growth mindset
By Richard McCathronMay 25, 2026
19 hours ago
David Bennahum
CommentaryMedia
I was one of the internet’s first influencers. AI just killed the whole category — and created something better
By David S. BennahumMay 24, 2026
2 days ago
employees
CommentarySuccession
Millions of business owners are about to retire. They should sell to their employees
By Matt Helmer and Maxwell JohnsonMay 23, 2026
3 days ago
Ashley Yetman
Commentarydisruption
Everyone is blaming AI for the death of ‘craft.’ Take a good look in the mirror
By Ashley YetmanMay 23, 2026
3 days ago
clay
CommentaryLoneliness
I’ve spent 25 years studying loneliness. AI is about to make it much worse
By Clay RoutledgeMay 23, 2026
3 days ago
ambrose
CommentaryRobotics
Former NASA Robotics Chief: America is building the wrong kind of robots — and China knows it
By Robert AmbroseMay 23, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
20 hours ago
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
17 hours ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
5 days ago
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
Investing
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
By Eva RoytburgMay 25, 2026
16 hours ago
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
Real Estate
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 25, 2026
17 hours ago
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
Lifestyle
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
By Sasha RogelbergMay 24, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.