Probably for the last 10 or so years one of the things I have heard from influencers that I follow is to follow your passion.  Follow your passion and do the thing you are passionate about.  

Mark Cuban, a billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks and the Shark Tank television show says not to follow your passion.

In a video Cuban put together he provides examples of how he was passionate about being a professional baseball player but realized he couldn’t throw faster than 70 MPH.  

He then tells another story about how he wanted to be a professional basketball player but realized he couldn’t jump very high.

So because of this, he determined that even though he was passionate about these two things, it would be a waste of his time to pursue because neither passion would be realized.

Passionate means having strong feelings for something.  With that being said, I think Cuban got some things confused about the word passionate (in my opinion).

My Thoughts on Whether You Should Follow Your Passion

I had a friend growing up that loved wrestling and being around it.  He didn’t wrestle but that didn’t keep him from being around it and having a passion for it.

He eventually became a wrestling referee and has been doing that for some 20 years. His passion didn’t lead him to become a wrestler but it did lead him to an occupation that kept him around it and participating in his own way.

For me personally, I enjoy many things about being a private investigator.  I enjoy even more teaching about it and I have a passion for that.  I love seeing people grow from the things I share and teach.  

And when I retire 20 years from now I will still have the ability to follow my passion and teach what I can to those who want to be in the industry.  I can still teach individuals to become better private investigators.

So I am passionate about teaching.  And it just so happens that I am sharing and teaching something I happen to enjoy.  

I am passionate about darts.  I love it. I love watching it, love learning the history of it and love playing it.  But after 24 or so years of intermittently playing darts, I am still not good enough to even be considered really good.  That doesn’t keep me from practicing or enjoying the game.  And eventually, I might find something surrounding darts that I can turn into a business.  At the moment I am kinda focused on you (my audience) as it relates to the P.I. Advice website.  So that will have to wait :).

Following Your Passion Doesn’t Promise Success

Nothing guarantees you success in life, not even something you are passionate about.  

But if doing something that you are passionate about brings you joy and makes you feel as though the work you are doing really isn’t work, I think it is worth pursuing.

How does this apply to you?

I would say just because you are passionate about being a private investigator doesn’t mean you will be great at it.  It doesn’t mean that you will be an expert in all areas of investigation.  It doesn’t mean that you will be good in all areas of investigation.  

It does mean that you will continue to try to learn more about the industry and you will always try to be better at the investigation craft.  

Maybe you start a private investigation business and then hire good investigators or people to grow your business if your not good at that part.

Or you may find something associated with the investigation industry that you are good at that keeps you connected to what you are passionate about.

There isn’t just one way to be passionate about something.  You can still pursue your passions though it might not be the way you first expected.

So I don’t think if you follow your passion it is a mistake as long as you have the right expectations. 

Andrew