I’ve been having a lot of conversations recently about passion.And it saddens me because I think in this world, it can be really easy to lose sight of it.

A few weeks ago I went to a party where everyone’s eyes looked dead. In the haze of cigarette smoke and music pounding on the walls, no one was really talking to one another.It seemed like people were distracting themselves with the things in their hands- their cellphones, cigarettes, drinks- so that they wouldn’t have to converse with one another.

It dawned on me that none of us really wanted to be there. But we had all arrived because it was the thing to do.We had all gotten dressed and rode the subway because, in college, you’re expected to go out and drink, even if it’s in an environment you don’t feel particularly comfortable in, or with people you don’t really like.

Last night at a dinner party, I was talking to a man who gave up his job as a businessman to go back to school to become a veterinarian.When I asked him why he did it, he told me it was because of a conversation he’d had with one of his bosses,

“He told me he couldn’t wait for twenty years to pass so that he could retire.And I never wanted to reach that point in my life where I’d be willing to fast-forward twenty years… so the next week, I quit.”

The man went from managing a chain of restaurants to working as a waiter supporting himself while he went to school because he realized that he’d rather live a passionate life than one where he was simply unhappy.

Now, the man is not only a veterinarian, but he is continuously learning new things in his field that fascinate him and challenge his mind. He told me that there were days where he almost felt as if he hadn’t gone to school at all because his study is constantly changing.I saw the light in his eyes when he was talking about it, and he described his job as ‘fun’ and ‘important’.

This man’s story got me thinking about how it’s never too late to change your path.I think that we all kind of get stuck in this routine of doing what we think we’re supposed to be doing.Half of us only go to these parties because we feel expected to, but wouldn’t the night be much better spent doing something that excited us?And I have friends who know that their major isn’t for them, but they do it anyway because it’s where they’ll make the most money.But wouldn’t life be so much more invigorating if we spent it doing the things that we love?It’s certainly more difficult, but what’s the point of doing something if it’s not going to challenge our brains?

I understand that it can be hard sometimes, to give ourselves time for our passion.Not only do we fall into a routine, but there are so many distractions. I’m just as guilty as anyone for spending mind-numbing hours staring at a screen, allowing myself to just kind of fall into the abyss of the internet. But this conversation reminded me how liberating it is to spend your days working on something that excites and frustrates you. Whether it’s art or science, our minds are all so uniquely fascinated by different things… it would be a waste not to delve deeper into them.

So if you aren’t happy with what you’re doing, no matter how old you are, remember that you can always pursue something different.Our life is a multitude of passing occurrences that make up who we are and what fascinates us, and no one should be tied down to one interest or another. If you can’t see yourself doing something for the next twenty years, take a breath and remember that no one is holding you to the life that you’re living.You can change it whenever you like, as long as you have a passion and a plan.