A lot of people say that my career is a mistake. They tell me I won't have enough money to happily live off of and that I'll regret my choice. Even if it is not their goal, I think they sometimes feel empowered by belittling my future career. Or perhaps they feel it is their duty to save me from what they perceive as a world of hurt. Well guess what?
I won't be any happier with more money if I don't love what I do.
The average person works around 90,000 hours in their lifetime. I would rather those hours involve what I'm interested in and that in which I find joy investing. What is the point of having more to spend if what I am doing makes me miserable? I never want to become so emotionally dependent on a salary that money becomes the driving force of my life. That would be the most exhausting and empty existence. Greed can't be quenched. Between paychecks, I would only be craving the next one.
Technically, I will never feel I have enough money because there is always more to be had.
Even if all my needs were more than covered, money can never satisfy my list of wants. There will always be more to achieve, a job that is bigger, and a salary more desirable. Even millionaires never quit trying to gain more. I really don't think money is the real issue here.
I can be content in any situation.
I'm not throwing away the motivation to reach all that I am. I know I need to have discernment when it comes to life planning. I am saying that even with little money, I can be joyful in the simple things. In fact, it can give me a greater appreciation for the important things. When my goal is to inspire and make a change, I maintain a humble mindset. With that mindset comes peace of mind no matter the finances.
Let me figure it out on my own.
It is my choice. I still have some time to change my mind if worse comes to worse. Besides, lots of people are making it just fine doing what I dream of doing. Just because Americans are spoiled and think a smartphone with so many gigs, a home computer, a TV with endless channels, and a Netflix account are necessities, does not mean a thing. I'm 100 percent sure my job will be more than enough to provide and that God knows exactly what he is doing. I have confidence in my budgeting and prioritizing and I'm not worried about it.
So for now, my degree makes me happy.
It makes me happy because of what it will enable me to give not because of what I will get out of it. There are many upsides to my major, but getting to shape lives is the biggest blessing. I refuse to do anything less than what my heart desires.
