While other addictions are stigmatized, workaholism is often praised as ambition and dedication. This societal approval allows individuals to mask underlying issues like trauma or low self-worth, receiving positive reinforcement for behavior that is just as destructive as any other process addiction.

Individuals with a powerful sense of calling often develop an overinflated view of their own talent. This "career tunnel vision" makes them resistant to discouraging feedback, even from trusted mentors, causing them to pursue high-risk career paths without objective assessment.

Society elevates pursuing passion to a moral good, which makes people feel they are 'bad' if they don't have one or choose to leave one. This pressure can trap individuals in unsuitable roles and denigrates other valid, meaningful life paths.

Employees who view their work as a calling are more willing to accept lower pay and make financial sacrifices. This passion makes them susceptible to exploitation, as organizations can implicitly substitute the promise of meaningful work for fair compensation and sustainable working conditions.

The intense search for a career "calling" has become psychologically parallel to the search for a romantic soulmate. Both are driven by a "don't settle" mindset and create impossibly high expectations, often leading to disappointment and strained relationships when reality doesn't match the ideal.

High achievers often use work as a distraction to control something when life feels chaotic. This is an unsustainable coping mechanism. If you consistently ignore emotional needs and warning signs, your body will eventually rebel, leading to severe physical health crises.

Pursuing a calling is often not feasible without independent wealth or extreme luck. Detaching your identity from a practical job and using it to fund your life can be a safer, more realistic approach to avoid years of depression and resentment.

Constantly trying to save others by emptying your own cup is unsustainable and leads to burnout. You must prioritize protecting your own energy and filling your own needs first. Only from a place of fullness can you effectively and sustainably be of service to others.

A goal ceases to be a 'free choice' when your identity and self-worth become attached to achieving it. What may have started as a passion becomes a high-pressure necessity. This intense tension arises because you feel you *have* to do it to be good enough, rather than *wanting* to do it.