There seems to be a great deal of controversy over the topic of finding your ‘passion’ at work. Many feel that it’s unrealistic to expect a job to provide meaning, and others question how this is possible for people who don’t have access to the resources and network required to achieve their dream. The conversation itself may cause pressure for those who’ve not yet developed a coherent definition of their dream.

I think we have become lost in the semantics of the moment. I believe what we are looking for is a place where we can be successful, however we individually define success, among colleagues who value our contribution and managers who provide constructive evaluation of our work. We want to be better at what we do than when we started. We want to learn enough about ourselves and the work to make decisions about our next step.

In other words we need to find our work ‘place’ and if this is synonymous with finding your passion, great. If it’s a way station on a longer journey of discovery, perfect.

The key is momentum. Find your community, learn and contribute. Seek out the advice of others, but own your career choices. Don’t think of your work ‘place’ as a cubicle or corner office, but a moveable feast, a dream built on experience, connections and growth.