Of my many vices, the one I probably enjoy most is a good steakhouse. Yes, I realize they’re expensive. And, yes, I know how to make steaks in my own home that are just as good — if not better — than most steakhouses while costing a fraction of the price. Still, I can’t help myself. Give me an opportunity to overpay for a big chunk of red meat, and I’m there.
Better yet, give me that chunk of red meat when someone else is offering to pay!
And that’s exactly what happened last night. A group of Duke students invited me to join them for a “faculty dinner” at the campus steakhouse. I’d never been before, and the university was paying, so, of course, I said yes.
You won’t be surprised to learn that the steak at an on-campus steakhouse wasn’t the best I’ve ever had. But, to be fair, it was actually pretty good… certainly above average, which is impressive all things considered.
More importantly, since I’m sure none of you care about the quality of my ribeye (especially any vegetarian readers I have out there… sorry!), I’m sharing this story because I wanted to revisit an interesting moment from the conversation.
Most of the evening was spent moving back and forth between random experiences from my time as an undergrad and sharing some of the “life lessons” I’d learned since graduating that I wish I’d known earlier. But the part of the conversation that sticks in my mind — and that I wanted to share with all of you — was when the students and I began discussing the importance of loving what you do.
I realize it’s cliche to say: “When you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” But it’s also true, and it’s certainly the approach to life I take. I also suspect it’s how most of you approach the world, too. After all, you’re (mostly) entrepreneurs.
However, as we were discussing the merits of “doing what you love,” one of the students reasonably wondered about burnout. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but it was something along the lines of: “But if you spend all day doing what you love, how do you avoid turning something you enjoy into a job?”
I thought it was a great question. Unfortunately, it’s also a question I didn’t answer particularly well in the moment, so I figured I’d take another swing at it by sharing some more thoughts here. In case you’re curious about the same topic, here’s a more thoughtful (and hopefully better) set of strategies for avoiding turning something you enjoy into a job…
Schedule Time for Pure Enjoyment: Even if your passion is your job, carve out moments to revisit it in its purest form. For me, that could be taking an hour to chat with a student about an idea — without worrying about syllabi or grades. Back when I was running tech companies, I’d still have little software projects I’d code on the side. The point is, find your own “pure joy” version of the job. It’ll reminds you why you started doing it in the first place.
Set Boundaries: Just because you love something doesn’t mean it should consume every waking hour. When you’re passionate, you want to dive in 24/7. But that leads to burnout fast. Give yourself permission to step away — whether that’s logging off at a certain time each day or designating weekends as “no work allowed.” This isn’t about laziness; it’s about sustaining your energy.
Continue Learning and Evolving: Often, burnout stems from stagnation. If you’re stuck doing the same thing in the same way, you’ll lose that sense of discovery. Even if you’re already skilled, challenge yourself to learn a new technique or approach. Maybe you love photography—try a different style. Maybe you’re an entrepreneur—explore a new market angle. Keeping things fresh preserves that excitement you felt on day one.
Remember the Parts You Don’t Love Are Okay: Every dream job has chores. Owning a restaurant means scrubbing pots. Being a YouTuber means hours of editing. Accepting the unglamorous side of your passion helps you keep perspective: those less exciting tasks enable you to do the parts you truly love.
So, back to the student’s question: “How do you avoid turning something you enjoy into a dreaded job?” You can’t completely prevent the mundane from creeping in. That’s the nature of real, grown-up responsibilities. But you can keep it from overshadowing what you love. By creating boundaries, staying curious, and allowing yourself pockets of pure enjoyment, you keep the passion alive.
-Aaron
This week’s new articles…
The Real Problem With Being Your Own Boss (and How to Fix It)
All entrepreneurs want to be their own bosses, but not all entrepreneurs know how to be good bosses.
Who Knew Hunting for Seashells Was so Much Like Entrepreneurship?
How a trip to the beach turned into an unexpected reminder of what makes a successful entrepreneur.
Office Hours Q&A
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QUESTION:
Aaron’s note: This question is a comment from last week’s issue that felt like it deserved a more thoughtful answer…
[Last week’s issue was] such a relatable read. The part about negativity being inevitable at scale really stuck with me it's something most people don't talk about when chasing success. Aaron have you ever found a specific mindset shift or daily practice that helps you not just cope but actually embrace the criticism as part of the journey?
-Noah
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Love this question. Didn’t love creating an answer because, quite honestly, it was much harder than I’d thought. But here are some disjointed thoughts…
Reframe Criticism as Validation of Impact
Early in my career, I dreaded the first negative tweet or email or whatever. Now, I reframe those things as proof my work is reaching beyond my usual circles. After all, if your audience wasn’t growing, you’d only ever hear the same opinions from the same people. The critics are a sign you’ve stepped onto a bigger stage. That’s not something to fear — it’s something to celebrate.
Practice “Audience Split” Thinking
I remind myself that every time I post something, I’m effectively splitting my audience. One group will connect with it deeply, and another group will, at best, not care, and at worst, openly dislike it. Both reactions are necessary. Without that split, it means the message probably wasn’t strong enough to resonate with anyone. In other words, if you’re getting negative feedback, it’s often a good sign you’ve said or created something worth reacting to.
Time-Limited Internalizing
Criticism can sting, so I give myself permission to feel it — but for a set amount of time (maybe five minutes or an hour, depending on how vicious it was). After that, it’s time to let it go and move on. This helps me process the emotion without dwelling on it endlessly. If there’s something constructive buried in the negativity, I take that note. If not, I move forward.
Daily “Big Picture” Check-In
I spend a few minutes each morning reminding myself why I’m doing this work. Whether you’re teaching, creating content, or building a startup, you likely have a mission that goes far beyond any single person’s opinion. When you keep that broader purpose front and center, the petty stuff becomes less overwhelming. You see criticisms for what they are: short-term noise.
Ultimately, “embracing” criticism isn’t about convincing yourself that hateful comments don’t hurt. It’s about recognizing they’re an inevitable byproduct of reaching more people. And in a strange way, they’re a marker of progress and a sometimes-awkward measure of the impact you’re making in the world. Keep going!
Got startup questions of your own? Reply to this email with whatever you want to know, and I’ll do my best to answer.
This came at a timely moment! Glad to reread this and thanks for posting Prof.!