To find work you love, don't follow your passion | Benjamin Todd | TEDxYouth@Tallinn

Summary

The speaker discusses the common career advice of 'follow your passion,' questioning its effectiveness and proposing an alternative approach. They argue that instead of focusing on personal interests, individuals should aim to do what's valuable by developing skills that address significant social issues. This not only benefits society but also leads to a more fulfilling and successful career. The talk encourages exploration, skill-building, and applying one's abilities to solve neglected problems, suggesting that altruism and impact are key to a meaningful professional life.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker was unsure about choosing a career path after university due to having multiple interests.
• 🥋 Early interests included martial arts and philosophy, but neither seemed like a viable career option.
• 💼 A career in finance was considered but dismissed due to concerns about societal impact and personal fulfillment.
• 🔍 The speaker founded '80000 Hours' to research how to choose a fulfilling career, focusing on the 80,000 hours most people spend working.
• 📚 The organization collaborates with academics and provides a free online guide to help people make career decisions.
• 🚫 The traditional advice to 'follow your passion' is criticized as potentially leading to failure or unfulfillment.
• 📊 Data shows that pursuing passions like sports or arts is unlikely to result in a successful career due to the limited job market in those fields.
• 💡 The speaker suggests that focusing on what's valuable and beneficial to society is a better approach to choosing a career.
• 🌟 Doing what's valuable not only helps the world but is also linked to personal fulfillment and happiness.
• 🛠️ Practical steps for a valuable career include exploring the world, building in-demand skills, and applying them to solve significant social problems.
• 🌱 Passion can develop over time as you focus on valuable work, rather than being the starting point for a career.

Q & A

What was the speaker's dilemma after graduating from university?

The speaker was unsure about which career to choose due to having many interests but no clear direction on how to turn those interests into a job.

Why did the speaker decide against pursuing martial arts as a career?

The speaker was interested in martial arts but did not want to turn it into a career, implying that they wanted to keep it as a hobby or personal interest.

What was the philosopher's opinion on philosophy that influenced the speaker's decision?

The philosopher thought philosophy was a bunch of empty ideas and that there were no jobs in philosophy, which led the speaker to rule out a career in philosophy.

What was the speaker's concern about pursuing a career in finance?

The speaker was concerned that a career in finance might not be fulfilling because it might not help society or make a significant difference.

What did the speaker found to research career choices?

The speaker founded an organization called '80000hours' to research and provide guidance on career choices.

What does '80000hours' represent and what does the organization offer?

'80000hours' represents the average number of hours a person works in their lifetime. The organization offers a free online careers guide and helps people do research to make informed career decisions.

What was one of the main discoveries of the '80000hours' organization regarding career advice?

One of the main discoveries was that not enough serious research has been done on how to choose a career effectively.

What is the speaker's critique of the 'follow your passion' career advice?

The speaker argues that 'follow your passion' is flawed because it often leads to failure, a lack of fulfillment, and can even have negative health outcomes.

According to the speaker, what should one focus on instead of their own interests when choosing a career?

Instead of focusing on personal interests, one should focus on what they can do for other people and what is valuable to make the world a better place.

What does the speaker suggest as the key to a fulfilling career?

The speaker suggests that the key to a fulfilling career is doing what's valuable, which involves getting good at something that genuinely helps others.

What are the three practical steps the speaker recommends for finding a fulfilling career?

The three practical steps are: 1) Explore and learn about the world, 2) Build skills that are in demand and can be applied to solve social problems, and 3) Apply those skills to solve the most pressing social problems that have been unfairly neglected.