Can we Overpassion our Gifted Teens?

The Problem with “Follow Your Passion”

Achieve your dreams!
Live up to your potential!
Reach for your goals!

It’s graduation season, which means these phrases will be everywhere: on greeting cards, in speeches, from the mouths of well-meaning relatives. And gifted teens everywhere will hear a familiar refrain: “Follow your passion.”

But behind all of that well-intended advice can hide guilt, fear and shame.

The Pressure of Passion

“Follow your passion” sounds inspiring, but, when you think about it, it’s a big ask for gifted teens.

First, there’s the guilt. What if they don’t have a passion? That inner voice kicks in: What’s wrong with me? These teens paint on smiles and nod well-wishers while secretly wondering if they’re broken.

If I were truly gifted, they think, then wouldn’t I know what I’m passionate about?