Self-determination Theory claims there are basically 3 things you need to be happy at work: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The bad news is that at almost any job, you'll lack at least two of these when you start. The good news is that it's fairly easy to gain more of each of these simply by advancing in your career.
Note that different people need different levels of Autonomy/Competence/Relatedness to be happy. I have no problem following orders, but I would go crazy at a place that expected me to be in the office from 9-6 every day. For others, freedom might mean starting their own business and not taking orders from anybody.
In general though, it helps to figure out what the right levels of autonomy/competence/relatedness are for you, and how you can achieve them in the next few years. "Expect to feel 'meh' about your job for a few years before you build up career capital" is much more accurate than "follow your passion and you'll be happy."
Note that different people need different levels of Autonomy/Competence/Relatedness to be happy. I have no problem following orders, but I would go crazy at a place that expected me to be in the office from 9-6 every day. For others, freedom might mean starting their own business and not taking orders from anybody.
In general though, it helps to figure out what the right levels of autonomy/competence/relatedness are for you, and how you can achieve them in the next few years. "Expect to feel 'meh' about your job for a few years before you build up career capital" is much more accurate than "follow your passion and you'll be happy."