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Career-wise, what sort of balance should I strike between passion and money?
This upcoming fall, I will be going off to college and there has been a lot of pressure from family and other adults for me to choose a major that will help me eventually land job that makes a lot of money. I'm still very unsure about where I want to take my future and I want to keep exploring, but I'm not sure that medicine or engineering will be for me.
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5 answers
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Doctorate Student’s Answer
Dear Ashley: Try doing a career assessment and see what your interests are. This will narrow down professions that best fit your personality and job skills. Here is a helpful website with different online career assessments.
Source: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/best-free-career-assessment-tools
Enjoy your day!
Source: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/best-free-career-assessment-tools
Enjoy your day!
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Ashley
You are on the right path to determining your future by asking questions and gathering information before you decide. London's advice is a great start to help you narrow down your education & career interests. To further your insights you may want to consider gaining a better understanding of your natural strengths and the types of career options that align with them. There are many assessments out there, but my favorite is StrengthsFinder. Once you have this information, my advice is to seek a variety of career options that utilize your true strengths and narrow down from there by testing them out (internships, shadowing, etc). Getting as many facts/imputs will help your final decisions align with your passions and will be ultimately more rewarding - both mentally and financially. Best of luck on your journey.
You are on the right path to determining your future by asking questions and gathering information before you decide. London's advice is a great start to help you narrow down your education & career interests. To further your insights you may want to consider gaining a better understanding of your natural strengths and the types of career options that align with them. There are many assessments out there, but my favorite is StrengthsFinder. Once you have this information, my advice is to seek a variety of career options that utilize your true strengths and narrow down from there by testing them out (internships, shadowing, etc). Getting as many facts/imputs will help your final decisions align with your passions and will be ultimately more rewarding - both mentally and financially. Best of luck on your journey.
Updated
Rickey’s Answer
Hi Ashley,
This is definitely something that is going to require a bit of soul searching. Many times, society leads us to believe success=money, and that is just simply not true. A couple things that helped me decide were:
1. Decide what kind of life you are comfortable with, where you'd like to live, what you'd like to drive, etc. and create a potential budget or number you'd need to sustain that. If you want a mansion in SoCal with a Benz, then you definitely want a higher salary.
2. Research jobs related to your passion(s) and see what the median income is for those. If that number matches the number from the previous statement, then you're good! If you see median salary for those jobs that don't match, then that is something you'll have to ask yourself around passion vs. money.
I can say with 100% certainty, I have yet to meet anyone personally that would forgo happiness and well-being for more money. Not saying they don't exist, but most people seem to be able to find the balance in time.
Good luck with everything!!
This is definitely something that is going to require a bit of soul searching. Many times, society leads us to believe success=money, and that is just simply not true. A couple things that helped me decide were:
1. Decide what kind of life you are comfortable with, where you'd like to live, what you'd like to drive, etc. and create a potential budget or number you'd need to sustain that. If you want a mansion in SoCal with a Benz, then you definitely want a higher salary.
2. Research jobs related to your passion(s) and see what the median income is for those. If that number matches the number from the previous statement, then you're good! If you see median salary for those jobs that don't match, then that is something you'll have to ask yourself around passion vs. money.
I can say with 100% certainty, I have yet to meet anyone personally that would forgo happiness and well-being for more money. Not saying they don't exist, but most people seem to be able to find the balance in time.
Good luck with everything!!
Updated
Shiri’s Answer
Hi Ashley,
We all know that money is important in the world, but all the money in the world don't mean that you'll be happy if you're constantly working a job that you hate. Ideally, the job that you want and enjoy is something that also pays very well, but you should definitely (in my opinion) prioritize passion a little bit more than money.
As far as picking a career, medicine and engineering are typically both well paying fields, but if you have no interest in it, then you would just end up wasting time and money. Like the other responses say, do research and find your interests. This will help you narrow down a career. And if there are multiple careers that would let you do what you're interested in, money can be the factor that breaks the tie.
We all know that money is important in the world, but all the money in the world don't mean that you'll be happy if you're constantly working a job that you hate. Ideally, the job that you want and enjoy is something that also pays very well, but you should definitely (in my opinion) prioritize passion a little bit more than money.
As far as picking a career, medicine and engineering are typically both well paying fields, but if you have no interest in it, then you would just end up wasting time and money. Like the other responses say, do research and find your interests. This will help you narrow down a career. And if there are multiple careers that would let you do what you're interested in, money can be the factor that breaks the tie.
Updated
Daisy’s Answer
Hi Ashley,
That is a great question. I would say following what your passionate about outweighs the money. You do not want to end up going for something that makes a lot of money if you are not going to enjoy it or love it. You do not want to spend the rest of your life in a career that you are not going to enjoy and be passionate about. I truly feel that the money will follow once you enjoy what you are doing. If you end up in a career that does not make a lot of money you will still feel more gratified over enjoying your career and doing what you love. You will never feel like you are truly working when you are passionate about it. Good Luck!
That is a great question. I would say following what your passionate about outweighs the money. You do not want to end up going for something that makes a lot of money if you are not going to enjoy it or love it. You do not want to spend the rest of your life in a career that you are not going to enjoy and be passionate about. I truly feel that the money will follow once you enjoy what you are doing. If you end up in a career that does not make a lot of money you will still feel more gratified over enjoying your career and doing what you love. You will never feel like you are truly working when you are passionate about it. Good Luck!