In a bold departure from conventional advice, Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, once urged Columbia engineering graduates in 2015 to reject the idea of “following your passion” and instead focus on the value they can contribute to the world.
What Happened: In 2015, peaking at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science commencement, Horowitz told students, "Don't follow your passion."
He explained that while many successful people say that they love what they do, the reverse may be true—they may love what they do because they became successful.
"The first tricky thing about passions is they're hard to prioritize," Horowitz said, adding that it is difficult to figure out which a person is more passionate about: math or engineering? Video games or K-pop?
He also pointed out that passions evolve, noting that what someone is passionate about at 21 may not hold the same weight at 40—"true for both boyfriends and career choices," he quipped.
Horowitz warned that people often aren't particularly good at their passions, referencing some American Idol participants who love singing but fall short of professional standards. What he meant was, just because you love something doesn't mean you should do it for a living.
Instead, he urged graduates to focus on what they're good at and how they can contribute to the world. "What you take out of the world over time … is much less important than what you put into the world," he stated, adding, "My recommendation would be to follow your contribution. Find the thing that you’re great at, put that into the world, contribute to others, help the world be better and that is the thing to follow."
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Why It's Important: Horowitz's message stands in contrast to business titans like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett and Kevin O'Leary, all of whom have publicly advised aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their passions.
Buffett once advised students not to take jobs just for resume value or slightly higher pay, but to work for people or organizations they admire. He shared a story about an Ivy League graduate who chose a consulting job to build a “perfect resume” instead of pursuing his passion.
When asked when he'd follow his true interests, the graduate said "someday," prompting Buffett to compare that mindset to "saving up sex for your old age"—a warning against postponing what you truly want in life.
Amazon founder Bezos has also said that following one's passion is key to true success and fulfillment. In a speech at the George W. Bush Presidential Center's Forum on Leadership, he urged people to turn their passions into careers, not by waiting for purpose to appear, but through hard work, dedication and resilience.
O'Leary, investor and Shark Tank personality, also believes that when you love what you do, it doesn't feel like work. Last year, he shared that for great entrepreneurs and leaders, pursuing their passion is an expression of who they truly are—it's part of their soul and identity.
The life of Musk is a testament to the power of passion-driven success. From a young age, he was deeply interested in technology and engineering. In his entrepreneurial journey, the Tesla CEO continued to follow his passion, namely things like electric vehicles and sending humans to Mars.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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