You 2.0: The Passion Pill

In this episode of Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam interviews behavioral scientist Jan Jachimowicz about the nature of passion, particularly in the context of work. Jachimowicz shares his personal journey of initially wanting to change the world, inspired by Paul Farmer, and his subsequent disillusionment when his research didn't have the impact he anticipated. He discusses his research into passion, including interviews with people from various fields, and explores how passion can fade, become an unhealthy obsession, or lead to burnout. The conversation covers the German concept of "Leidenschaft" (the ability to endure hardship), the importance of reinventing one's passions, and the need to find aspects of jobs that are personally meaningful, even if they are not part of the formal job description. Jachimowicz also reflects on how his understanding of Paul Farmer's life has evolved, recognizing the constant dissatisfaction that can accompany the pursuit of passion.