Amina Altai disagrees with the adage, “Do what you love and you’ll never have to work.”
Many people believe that if they pursue their passion, “everything else will fall into place, including relationships, finances, happiness, and well-being,” she writes in her recent book, The Trap of Ambition.
Altai, a leadership coach who works with Fortune 100 leaders, Olympians, and “everyone in between,” says building a sustainable career actually requires more than passion.
As an example, “passion is inherently fickle,” Altai told CNBC Make It. “Passion is bound to change a lot during our lifetimes.”
For example, Altai says a health crisis in her late 20s inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in nutrition.
Altai said she was almost finished with her degree when she realized she didn’t want to pursue nutrition as a career.
“There was a moment where I thought, ‘Oh, I’m really passionate about this. I love this, but this is not my life’s work,'” she recalls.
Altai left the program without completing his degree. She ultimately found her purpose as a leadership coach focused on well-being. She says this career also allows her to incorporate knowledge of nutrition.
The experience taught Altai a big lesson, she says. “Be passionate about something and allow that passion to change without feeling the urge to fixate it on your overall purpose, because it can be very volatile.”
The downside of pursuing your passion
When you focus your passion on your career, “you quickly stall,” Altai writes in “The Trap of Ambition.”
A common problem Altai sees with her clients is that they are so passionate about their work that they are “hesitant to meet their needs,” she says.
“They’ll say, ‘You know what? It’s half the salary I need, but it’s okay. I’ll figure it out. I love this job, so I’ll make it work,'” Altai says.
According to AlTai, this approach is likely to lead to burnout and can also hinder your ability to make meaningful contributions.
“If our work is no longer viable because we can’t feed ourselves and our needs aren’t met, have we really made the changes we want to see? Usually not,” she says.
Additionally, the ability to follow your passion often requires “a level of privilege” that most people don’t have, Altai said.
“People who can only focus on their passion work often have supportive spouses or family members who can pay their bills,” she says. “It’s not available to everyone.”
After all, Altai says, passion is a positive quality. There’s nothing wrong with being excited about your work, as long as your passion doesn’t consume you.
“I’m a big proponent of passion,” she says. “Follow it, be interested in it, but don’t try to trap it.”
Black Friday Sale: Want to improve your AI skills and increase your productivity? Get 25% off our most popular course of the year, “How to Be More Successful at Work with AI” using coupon code GETSMART. Offer valid from November 17th to December 5th, 2025.
Plus, sign up for the CNBC Make It newsletter for tips and tricks to succeed at work, money, and life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and colleagues.
