“Let go of this idea that you have to find this one great thing — my passion, my great passion — with your shirt torn open and your heaving pec muscles. It’s embarrassing. Just be willing to do your work as hard as you can, with the ability you have. We don’t need the heavy breathing and the outstretched arm from your passion. It makes coworkers uncomfortable in the cubicle next to you. Find fascination. Fascination is way better than passion. It’s not so sweaty.”
— Jerry Seinfeld, Duke University Commencement, 2024
I’ve always said: do what you love — but know that you may not get to do it right away. Follow your dreams, listen to what’s inside you, and focus on challenges and problems that fascinate you.
Discernment is the ability to see and judge things clearly, especially when they’re subtle or not obvious. Seinfeld finds humor in everyday life — that’s his fascination — and in doing so, he’s fascinated us. That’s how it should work: find work that fascinates and contributes to something larger than yourself. That’s the calling we all share.
You won’t find it in every moment of your life, but it’s worth striving for. Maybe fascination — more than passion — is our higher calling.
What’s fascinating you right now?