Society

Jaclyn Margolis, Ph.D., on the problem of pursuing the job you love: “it leads to unexpected challenges and disappointment”

The idea that people should be making it their life mission to pursue work that they love is misguided according to this expert on behavioral science.

Greg Heilman

Update: Nov 17th, 2025 12:08 EST

It’s been two decades since Steve Jobs told Stanford University graduates that “the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” The idea has become the mantra “find a job you love,” but associate professor of applied behavioral science at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, Jaclyn Margolis, Ph.D., says that “it’s time to retire” that advice.

“For some, following their passion leads to fulfillment. For others, it leads to unexpected challenges and disappointment,” she wrote in Psychology Today, in which she explained why.

Loving your job can harm you professionally and personally

If you do your job solely because you love it, you may end up being overworked and underpaid, which can be detrimental to your professional career and your personal life. This is because employers have less incentive to give you extra perks to encourage you or keep you from leaving.

Motivation purity bias

On the other hand, recruiters are often suspicious of someone who has motivations for doing a job other than being a job they love, this has been dubbed “motivation purity bias.” The behavioral scientist cites research that shows job candidates that ask about compensation during an interview are around 20% less likely to be recommended by the recruiter believing they won’t be as dedicated and passionate about performing the job.

People change and so too do their passions

Margolis cautions about assuming that you will feel the same love for your job when you are older as you do when you are younger. She says that people change and with it how they perceive happiness. What was once new and exciting can become old and stale.

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Too much of a good thing

On that last point, the behavioral scientist says that it can be difficult to maintain the same level of passion for work that we enjoy day in and day out. Over time it can become a case of too much of a good thing, and one can be left feeling emotionally exhausted.

And according to her own research, that in turn can lead to people feeling less empowered at work and disconnected from that which they were inspired by.

You don’t have to love something for it to make you happy

Finally, Margolis talks about two types of happiness; hedonic and eudaimonic. The former comes from “comfort, enjoyment, smiles, and low stress,” while the latter is derived from “fulfillment, growth, and doing things that matter.”

She cites a study from researchers Bryson and MacKerron, that found people’s happiness dropped sharply after starting work but less so when doing more mundane tasks. Hanging out with friends and having a good time can be fun for a while, but finding fulfilment from what we are doing can provide purpose and structure, as well as supporting our lives with stability and financial resources.

“While the advice to find a job you love is well-intentioned, it is not always the right path,” says Margolis. “And we should not treat those who choose alternative paths as doing something wrong.”