I had my entire life planned out when I was a senior in high school. I was going to major in chemistry, go to grad school, and have a sparkling career. This was the best plan, I told myself. Everyone said that people with communication skills were highly prized in many scientific fields. STEM jobs were stable, interesting, and generally lucrative. Science itself was somewhat appealing, but I did not have the passion for it that so many of the people around me had. What I really loved was the way people looked at me when I said I planned to double major in chemistry and English. They all seemed to think that this was impossible.
Maybe it was, but that is not why I turned my life around completely after a year spent following my plan to the letter.
I made a dramatic change because I realized that I was looking at life completely wrong.
So many people treat life like it is a competition. We try to find the highest scoring job, the one with the most stability and prestige. I have watched people being praised for letting go of their dreams in favor of pursuing the safe, 9 to 5 option. The problem with this mindset is that it ignores the most crucial fact about life.
You have to live the life you choose every single day, for the rest of your life. If you spend that time doing something that is not fulfilling, you are wasting most of your life for absolutely no reason.
I am not saying that everybody should drop out of school and get the band back together. I am saying that when you are choosing a career, you are choosing a path that you will follow in your life, and you need to understand the implications of this.
Some people love music and can be completely fulfilled by playing a few open mic nights every month, while others will not feel whole unless they are touring and producing records non-stop. Some people feel cooped up in an office, while others return home with sparkling eyes and stories about how well their latest meeting went. Some people fall asleep as soon as they hear the word "stocks," while others enjoy working with money as much as they enjoy spending it. Some people need security, some people need adventure, some people need status, some people need solitude, and some people have no idea what they need.
Your life is not an entry in a competition. It is your life, and you need to live it in a way that allows you to have as much joy as possible. Don't just ask yourself what you are good at, ask yourself what sets your heart on fire. Maybe it's creating crystals in a test tube. Maybe it's using those crystals to make a point in your writing. Whatever you love, find a way to build a life around it, so you can love the life you live.
