My uncle told me to just 'follow my passion' after I dropped out. Worst advice ever.

He said money would follow. Two years later I was $8,000 in credit card debt working part time at a cafe in Spokane. Wish he'd told me to learn a trade instead. Anyone else get bad advice from family after leaving school?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese_garcia10d ago

Yeah the "passion" thing gets thrown around way too much. Like what does that even mean? It's not that serious. I get that following something you love sounds nice but the reality is most people's passions don't pay the bills right away. The uncle probably meant well but that advice is pretty vague. You could be passionate about something that makes zero money and end up in a worse spot.

wren2179d ago

Oh man this hits hard. I actually read a study a while back that said most people who "followed their passion" ended up less satisfied than folks who just picked something practical and stuck with it. The whole idea that you need to love your job 24/7 is pretty new and honestly kind of harmful. I've heard career counselors talk about "passion" being a trap because it puts all the pressure on you to find this magical perfect thing instead of just building skills that actually pay the bills. Your uncle probably meant well, but advice from that generation is hit or miss because the economy just worked different back then. The trade route is solid advice, I know a few electricians and plumbers who make way more than people I know with degrees, and they didnt have to rack up debt to get there.