“Never follow your passion,” says Mike Rowe. “But always bring it with you.”
Rowe, the host of the series “Dirty Jobs”—which recently returned to television—is renowned for urging others to pursue opportunities instead of passions: “Just because you’re passionate about something doesn’t mean you won’t suck at it. And just because you’ve earned a degree in your chosen field, it doesn’t mean you’re going to find your ‘dream job.’”
On his website—his bio brings a chuckle, and his Eagle Scout letter some serious laughter—Rowe stands as living proof of his own advice. He wanted to go into the trades like his grandfather but showed little natural talent, so instead, he studied opera and acting, and literally talked his way onto the stage and into a position at the QVC Shopping Channel, and many freelance jobs, before eventually creating and snagging the “Dirty Jobs” gig. At no time was he truly following his passions, but he carried them in his pocket wherever he worked….