Gen Z is stepping into a work culture that feels crowded and unpredictable, to say the least. Finding a job that is also a good overall fit is a mammoth task. Trying to build something of your own can feel even bigger. It’s a lot to navigate, and it’s easy to feel unsure about where to begin.
The common saying is to go after their passions, but that idea feels vague and hard to act on in this economy. A clearer path is to focus on the one thing you naturally obsess over. The thing you keep coming back to, even on your busiest days.
Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank has said he picked up this approach from Mark Cuban, who built much of his success by leaning into what he couldn’t stop thinking about.
Robert Herjavec on Mark Cuban’s Gen-Z Career Advice
Herjavec once shared a moment from the set of Shark Tank when Mark Cuban spoke sharply and straight to the point. He recalled Cuban saying that passion isn’t what the world responds to, and he wasn’t interested in hearing about it either.
Robert went on to add how he incorporated this advice into himself. In an interview with Fortune, he said, “I don’t care that you love golf or basketball or AI or cyber, I don’t give a s**t about any of that. What I want to know is, what are you obsessed with? 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.”
This immediately reminded Robert of his own early confusion about career choices.
Herjavec felt that Cuban’s message hit too close to home. When he was starting out, he didn’t know which career path to follow. He kept ruminating on unfeasible ideas like joining the FBI. Or maybe even getting into the movie world.
Things clicked once he stumbled into cybersecurity. It grabbed his attention right away, and he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Long-Term Goals Beat Short-Term Panic
Robert also explained that you can’t create that kind of drive overnight. It often develops slowly, and it doesn’t need to start with your first paycheck. Early roles might only help you stay afloat or learn the basics.
Each job should be a stepping stone toward something you can pour yourself into, the kind of work that gets you out of bed with energy and a clear sense of direction.
But being obsessed with your work is only part of it and doesn’t solve everything on its own. Herjavec encourages young people to keep a steady mindset and think ahead.
It is natural to feel shaken up by things right now, be it the political climate or the rapidly evolving AI and tech. The stats reaffirm the apprehension. OECD data shows that Gen Z is facing joblessness at almost twice the rate of older groups like Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials in many member countries.
That kind of pressure can push people to rush their choices. Robert warns you of this trap and suggests slowing down and making choices with a wider view in mind.
The Shark Tank investor explained his point, saying, “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 20s and don’t take the long view.”
Adaptability As The New Hiring Edge
Even when you finally figure out the direction you want to go, getting your foot in the door is an entirely different ballgame. Robert Herjavec shared a story from an interview with Warren Avis, the founder of Avis Car Rentals, elucidating the same.
The conversation started with typical interview prompt questions. Then Avis shifted gears with a question that caught Robert off guard. He asked if Herjavec believed he had control over his own future.
Herjavec said yes without much hesitation. That led to an even sharper question. Avis asked him to imagine being in a serious car crash that left him unable to walk. He wanted to know if Herjavec would still feel in charge of his own path.
The intensity of that follow-up stuck with him like a leech of a lesson.
It was then that Herjavec realized the question wasn’t really about a correct response. It was meant to reveal how someone thinks and how they adjust when the ground shifts under them. These qualities matter more than ever today because business is moving fast and is not following a straight path.
People who can read the moment and keep things moving often stand out in a hiring process.
Robert went on to explain that work is filled with unforeseen and unpleasant surprises. And progress depends on how well you respond to constant change.
