🔴 Never marry a passion!

But I did.

"Never marry a passion," was the advice I received from a friend many years ago. At twenty, I had plenty of passions—definitely too many. The temptation to choose one and turn it into my main occupation was strong. "Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life," Confucius is said to have claimed.

Who was right? Confucius was certainly more authoritative than my friend, but I’ve always had a mischievous doubt. What does “never work a day” really mean? The most common interpretation is that turning your passion into your job will be so enjoyable it won’t feel like work. But it could also mean something entirely different: if you follow your passion, you might never find a job and could end up starving.

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Perhaps that’s a bit of a stretch, but plagued by doubt, I decided not to follow either piece of advice. And so, I chose my greatest passion: I decided to dedicate myself to international trade. My idealistic peers criticised me heavily. I hadn’t decided to save lives or contribute to humanity’s scientific progress. They were right, but the decision had been made. And so, I dove into the paperwork of a small import-export office in the heart of Florence.

I worked diligently, and thanks especially to my knowledge of English, I soon found myself travelling across Europe, organising the widespread distribution of fashion products. It was gruelling—one flight a day, sometimes two or even three. Enormous responsibilities and, of course, an inadequate salary. Yet, I met fascinating people, experienced stimulating situations, took on challenges, and made commitments—it was like skydiving with an untested parachute. Adrenaline in spades. But the parachute always opened, and my passion for this work never waned. In fact, it grew, and this year, I’m celebrating my golden anniversary with my career.

I do different things now, but the backdrop is the same: people, cultures, environments... a world that continues to captivate me.

Moral of the story: If your passion is in any way connected to international trade, marry it without hesitation—you won’t regret it.

Roberto