Don’t chase passion, build skills: A sustainable approach to career

Most people don’t start their careers knowing exactly what they are passionate about. Even if they think they do, that passion often evolves or fades over time. Anchoring big life decisions to a single, often vague idea can lead to frustration and guilt. If you are lucky enough to have a clear passion at 20 and it stays consistent at 40, that’s wonderful. For most of us, though, life doesn’t work that way.

Early in my career, I didn’t have a perfectly articulated passion or a clear path and I’ve realized that’s true for many people. Most of us begin with curiosity and a desire to do meaningful work. Clarity emerges gradually, shaped by experiences, relationships, and the impact we create. My own interest in agriculture and rural livelihoods, which has become a central part of my work today, didn’t arrive fully formed. It grew over time, as I explored opportunities, built skills, and discovered where my energy and values aligned with what the world needed.

So if following passion isn’t the answer, what is? Over the years, through my own journey and through working with incredibly talented people, I’ve found three principles that create a more sustainable and rewarding approach to career growth.

The first is to focus on skills rather than passion. Passion can feel abstract and slippery, but skills are concrete and transferable. When you build skills, you gain confidence and options. More importantly, skills allow you to create real value, and value often sparks passion over time. Think about people who deeply love what they do. More often than not, they didn’t start with a burning passion. They became excellent at their craft first. Passion grew as they saw how their work shaped meaningful outcomes for others.

Looking back, the moments that shaped me most were about building core capabilities — problem-solving, leading teams through complexity, helping organizations grow. These were stepping stones. They opened doors across industries and geographies and helped me uncover the spaces where I wanted to lean in more deeply. The passion came later, emerging as a result of seeing what those skills made possible.

The second principle is to redefine discomfort as growth. The idea that if you love something, every day will feel fulfilling is simply not true. Even the most meaningful roles include tedious tasks, difficult conversations, and moments of doubt. Too often, we interpret discomfort as a sign we’ve chosen the wrong path, when in reality, it’s a signal that we are stretching ourselves.

Like many people, I’ve had moments where the work felt daunting — navigating complex situations, making high-stakes decisions, leading teams through ambiguity. In the moment, those experiences were challenging. With hindsight, I see that they were the times when I learned the most and grew the most. Today, when I encounter discomfort, I remind myself that growth often feels uncomfortable in real time.

The third principle is to set boundaries, even when you care deeply about your work. When something matters to us, it’s easy to let it take over. I’ve seen, in myself and others, how passion-driven work can sometimes blur boundaries.

You work longer hours, you let personal time slip away, and you convince yourself it’s temporary because the work is meaningful. Over time, this can lead to exhaustion or resentment. And ironically, it can diminish the very passion you were trying to protect.

Working in agriculture, especially on projects tied to rural livelihoods, is deeply meaningful to me. It’s tempting to pour all my energy into it. But I’ve come to appreciate that passion is sustainable only when balanced with perspective. Protecting time for relationships, health, and renewal isn’t a sign of disengagement. It’s what allows you to show up fully and consistently for the work you care about.

The world we live in is dynamic and unpredictable. Industries rise and fall. Technologies can disrupt entire professions. What you are passionate about today may not even exist tomorrow. If your career rests entirely on a fixed passion, you will always be on shaky ground. If it rests on adaptability, continuous learning, and a commitment to creating value, you’ll stay relevant no matter how the landscape shifts.

So instead of asking, “What am I passionate about?” consider asking, “What skills can I build? Where can I grow? How can I create value for others?” Passion is powerful, but it’s not a starting point. It’s something you cultivate over time, through curiosity, growth, and contribution. And slowly, what you build becomes what you love.

(The author is a management consultant at McKinsey & Company)