In what has become the most watched commencement speech ever, Steve Jobs had this advice for the class of 2005 at Stanford University: “The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Inspiring words from the visionary Apple co-founder, although he was just one of many preaching the benefits of finding one’s life purpose in work since the 1970s. Research now tells us that people who work to achieve a sense of personal fulfilment and make the world a better place experience stronger work and life satisfaction, and feel more successful than those who work primarily for money.

But contrary to Jobs’s claim (and that of many others), people who love what they do don’t always “do great work.” Although these people do tend to spend more time and effort at work, studies have found that they can often be more idealistic than effective, and critical of organizational practices in ways that don’t lead to success.

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