It may seem like common sense to pursue a major you are passionate about, but it happens much more often than you think. So many people choose their major based on everything except passion. They choose it based on salary, on what their parents want, or for safety and convenience. This shouldn't be the case when determining the path for the rest of your life.

Choose a major based on passion. It may seem difficult to figure out if you're truly passionate about it or not, but don't over complicate it. Ask yourself one simple question: does it make you smile?

It sounds silly to choose your major that will dictate the rest of your life based on that question, but it really is the question you should be asking yourself. Imagine your life five years from now with your current major. Are you imagining headaches and dread? If so, change your major.

You will know when you've chosen the right major for you if you feel happy and excited while picturing yourself working based on your major. This is how you know that you've probably chosen the right path. It may take some time to figure out, and that's okay.

Block out any other factors that aren't based solely on what you want out of life. Why? Because this is YOUR life. It's not your parent's life, it's not your friend's life, it's just yours and it belongs 100% to you.

So, why would you choose a major that doesn't make you excited for the future? Why would you choose a major you aren't passionate about?

Factors like salary, benefits, stability are important and they should be considered down the line, but at the end of the day, if your heart is all in it, success will inevitably follow. If you are worried about choosing a major that might compromise those factors, then worry about it later. Would you be any happier with a job that pays well but makes you unhappy?

Your future career is going to take up a huge portion of your life. It's the thing you'll be doing most of the time. A decision like that needs to be based on passion and happiness. So if you aren't passionate for your major right now, choose one that you are.