Founders spend most of their time on growth and sales, not the product itself. Therefore, you should choose a business based on the "sales motion" you enjoy—be it content creation, enterprise sales, or performance marketing—rather than just the industry or product idea.
Passion isn't a starting point; it's the result of a process. The correct sequence is: an enduring enthusiasm allows you to put in the immense effort required for mastery. The deep satisfaction derived from achieving that mastery is what we ultimately recognize and label as passion.
The etymology of "passion" derives from the Latin word for suffering, as in "The Passion of the Christ." This reframes the modern advice, suggesting that finding your passion means finding something you love so much you are willing to suffer for it, rather than just seeking constant pleasure.
A hospice nurse who worked with thousands of dying patients found their single most common regret was not having the courage to live a life true to their own desires, but instead living the life others expected of them. This highlights the high cost of conformity and the importance of authenticity.
A fast way to test a potential career path is to immerse yourself in that environment briefly, like taking a sample at Costco. Visiting another company's office or shadowing someone for a day provides an immediate gut reaction ("more of this" or "less of this") that is faster and cheaper than pursuing the path yourself.
A guest shared the quote, "light yourself on fire and people will come from many miles away to watch you burn." This serves as a powerful metaphor for what top-tier passion looks like: an energy so intense and authentic that it naturally attracts attention, followers, and customers.
"Follow your passion" is flawed advice because most people don't know their passion. A better framework from mythologist Joseph Campbell is to "follow your bliss" (what you're irrationally enthusiastic about) and embrace the "blisters" (the hardships you willingly endure for that enthusiasm).
VC Paul Graham's advice is to let enthusiasm be your guide (rudder), not just your fuel (motor). Pursuing what genuinely, even irrationally, interests you will lead you to the frontier of a field. It's at this edge where you can spot the unique gaps and opportunities that lead to great work.
Every job can be broken down into a core, repeatable loop of actions (e.g., a doctor's diagnose-prescribe loop). Instead of focusing on titles or industries, find a career where you are energized by executing its core loop thousands of times, as that is what your daily work actually entails.
Often, other people can spot your true interests before you do. Pay attention when someone points out a subject you have a disproportionate or irrational enthusiasm for. Like Adam Neumann's wife noticing he always looked at buildings, this can reveal a core interest you've overlooked.