• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
SuccessCareers

Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec says the best Gen Z career advice comes from Mark Cuban—it’s that nobody cares if you’re ‘passionate’

Preston Fore
By
Preston Fore
Preston Fore
Success Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Preston Fore
By
Preston Fore
Preston Fore
Success Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 22, 2025, 8:05 AM ET
Robert Herjavec
Gen Z should stop chasing passion; obsession is what actually gets results—according to advice Robert Herjavec (above) heard from Mark Cuban.Christopher Willard/Disney via Getty Images

With Gen Z facing an uphill battle in today’s job market, landing the right role—or even starting your own entrepreneurial venture—can feel overwhelming.

Recommended Video

But instead of following the age-old advice of chasing your passions, it might be smarter to center yourself on one thing that you can’t get enough of. It’s advice that Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec said he learned from his former costar, billionaire investor Mark Cuban.

“Life doesn’t care about your passion, and I don’t care about your passion,” Herjavec recalled Cuban saying during a show taping one season.

“I don’t care that you love golf or basketball or AI or cyber, I don’t give a shit about any of that. What I want to know is, what are you obsessed with?” Herjavec added to Fortune. “Passion is easy, because passion is a wish, but obsession is an action. Passion doesn’t demand anything of you. Obsession requires everything of you.”

For Herjavec, that lesson was personal. Early in his career, he wasn’t sure what path to take. He considered roles ranging from becoming an FBI detective to working in film. But once he discovered cybersecurity, he found himself thinking about it constantly.

Even so, he said obsession isn’t something you can manufacture overnight, and it doesn’t have to come from your first job. Early work can simply pay the bills or build skills, but every experience should be a stepping stone toward something you can fully commit to—and wake up every morning energized to work on.

But obsession alone isn’t always enough. Herjavec urged young professionals to stay grounded and take a long-term view, even when uncertainty—from politics to AI—makes it tempting to panic or pivot too quickly.

“When you’re 21 or 22, you feel a desperation about tomorrow, and some of that’s good because it’s rocket fuel,” Herjavec said. “But too many people make short-term decisions in their twenties and don’t take the long view.”

The one interview question Robert Herjavec says you might want to prepare for

Even after finding the career path of your dreams, getting hired is another story.

Early in his career, Herjavec was interviewed by Warren Avis, the entrepreneur behind Avis Car Rentals. After asking a relatively standard question—“Tell me about a situation in which you had to overcome adversity”—Avis followed up with something unexpected: “Do you believe you are in control of your own destiny?”

For Herjavec, the question was a surprise, but he answered yes. However, Avis’s next question hit even harder: “Okay, you’re in a car accident. You lose the ability to walk. Are you still in control of your own destiny?”

That’s when Herjavec realized there was no true right or wrong answer, but the point was to get a window into candidates’ critical thinking and adaptability—skills the Shark Tank star said are arguably more important than ever in today’s unpredictable business world. Those abilities, he added, are often what set candidates apart and can ultimately tip the scales toward a job offer.

“Business is so hard and unpredictable that it’s your ability to adapt to situations on a constant basis to move the ball forward, so I love to find out how people think,” Herjavec said. “It’s great to be a critical thinker, but you have to be an adaptable thinker to the situation.”

At the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit, Fortune 500 leaders will convene to explore the defining questions shaping the workforce of the future—delivering bold ideas, powerful connections, and actionable insights for building resilient organizations for the decade ahead. Join Fortune May 19–20 in Atlanta. Register now.
About the Author
Preston Fore
By Preston ForeSuccess Reporter
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Preston Fore is a reporter on Fortune's Success team.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Success

tarot
AICulture
We talked to 12 tarot card readers who are using AI. They split in 2 camps, with big implications for the technology
By Ziv Epstein, Farnaz Jahanbakhsh, Vana Goblot and The ConversationMay 16, 2026
10 hours ago
tom
SuccessEntrepreneurs
Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio got a 15x return on a tech company most Americans have never heard of. He thinks his own industry is broken
By Nick LichtenbergMay 16, 2026
14 hours ago
Kurt Alexander, president of Omni Hotels & Resorts
SuccessCareers
Gen Z wants AI-proof jobs. The president of a 50-property hotel chain says hospitality is hiding in plain sight
By Preston ForeMay 16, 2026
15 hours ago
cyborg
Future of WorkProductivity
AI’s cyborg problem: you have to embrace it to really succeed but 90% of people can’t or don’t want to
By Nick LichtenbergMay 16, 2026
16 hours ago
connor vukelich
Future of WorkGen Z
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z’s entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
17 hours ago
alex
Future of WorkGen Z
Leaders, stop with the Gen Z generalizations 
By Alex CooperMay 16, 2026
18 hours ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
13 hours ago
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
3 days ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
17 hours ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
13 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 15, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.