The idea of “love what you do” reminds me of when I was a child, and my mom would tell me, “School is fun.” Both are well-meaning messages that can quietly backfire.
At first glance, they seem harmless and even encouraging. Who wouldn’t want to love their job or have fun at school? But underneath both is the unspoken standard that if you’re not enjoying it, something must be wrong.
👉 For a student, hearing “school is fun” can lead to confusion or self-doubt when their lived experience doesn’t match the slogan. They may start wondering, “Would it be fun if I were smarter? Is there something wrong with me? Are my parents and teachers lying to me?”
The workplace version is no different. “Love what you do” suggests that work should be fulfilling, energizing, and meaningful. But when someone feels neutral, or even mildly dissatisfied, with their job, they might start to assume they’re missing out.
That belief could lead people to abandon perfectly reasonable roles, not because the job is broken, but because their expectations were misaligned.
Both messages imply that a specific emotional response (fun, love, passion) is the correct one, and if you’re not feeling it, you’re either doing something wrong or you’re working in the wrong place.
👉 In reality, school isn’t made for fun, and your job isn’t designed for love. School is for educating, and work is for financial support.
Now, if you happen to be lucky and have a great time at school or love your job, then I think that’s great. However, if you’re not one of those people, I hope you won’t let your ambivalence drag you down into sorrow.
💡 You can learn even when school isn’t fun, and you can have a successful career even when you don’t love what you do.
References: Watzlawick P, Weakland JH, Fisch R. Change: Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution. WW Norton & Company; 1974.
Post Title: “Love what you do” is the adult version of “school is fun.