You don't need passion to be a good programmer, but even if you are passionate about it, in the long term you need some kind of a paycheck to sustain that passi

You don't need passion to be a good programmer, but even if you are passionate about it, in the long term you need some kind of a paycheck to sustain that passion. It's not sustainable to be passionate if you are destitute or starving. However, it's hard to be a be a problem solver without some passion for the sort of problems you are facing. That doesn't mean that you must spend time outside of work on it, just care about it what you are doing while on the job. One can be very passionate about their job, but enforce limits on the job so it doesn't encroach on their other passions in life (like family).