Why Passion Isn’t Optional: Building What You’d Chase Even If You Could Quit

You sit in your parked car outside the bakery, hands gripping the steering wheel, thinking you’ve finally decided to give up on the side project that’s been keeping you up all night. It’s sensible: not enough time, no guarantee of success, and honestly, you could use some extra sleep. But right as you walk through the bakery door, the first new idea for the project—how to fix the process or add that missing feature—pops up more vivid than ever.

It keeps happening: on your commute, during quiet moments at lunch, even right before sleep. Each time you try to set the project aside, your mind starts spinning around it again, solving micro-problems, jotting down notes on napkins, texting yourself new variations. A friend, half-joking, calls you obsessed. Secretly, you realize it’s true.

At home, you finally put it to the test. "If I can quit, I should quit," you tell yourself. For a full week, you avoid mentioning it, banish sticky notes, and fill your schedule with other things. But the project creeps back in, even stronger—your curiosity and drive unshaken. You begin to admit something deeper: it’s not just a good idea, it’s one you can't help chasing.

This is the heart of founder psychology—real intrinsic motivation develops when quitting is no longer on the table. Behavioral science points to a concept called 'identity-based motivation': when a pursuit is so tied to who you are or what matters to you, persistence becomes almost effortless, even when logic says to stop. The real risk isn’t burnout from trying hard, but starting something you’re not compelled to see through.

Picture something you’ve been obsessing over—a business, a creative project, or even a relationship. First, deliberately try to put it on hold or push it away. Are you relieved, or does it bounce back even more? Then, grab a notebook and write a paragraph about why this matters to you, not just what you stand to gain. Finally, tell a trusted friend what keeps you up at night about the whole thing, and notice how you feel when saying it out loud. If quitting feels impossible, you’ve found your internal fuel. Use that—or, if you’re secretly glad to walk away, give yourself permission to focus elsewhere.