You often hear it time and time again, that when you love what you do you never work a day in your life. Well, I've got to admit, it's true. It's true that when you genuinely like what you do for a living it never actually feels like work. It's fun and exciting. It makes you want to get up in the morning and stay late at night. It makes you feel alive.
As a college student in my last semester of school, I am constantly thinking about my future, wondering where my path will take me. And the truth is I don't know exactly where I'll end up. But I will tell you what I do know. I know without a shadow of a doubt the career I've chosen will fulfill me in ways I didn't even think were possible.
When I graduate in May I will be getting my degree in advertising and public relations. Over the past few years at college, I've been lucky enough to have four internships. I've tried corporate. I've tried an agency. I've done PR and I've done advertising. Regardless of the specifics of what I did and where it was, one thing was always consistent, that I loved what I was doing.
And sure some days I woke up and just wanted to go back to sleep. That's going to happen. But I was excited to go to work, to learn, to do what I've always wanted and then some.
Growing up, and even now, I always have people who question my decision of what I want to do with my life. They tell me I'm "too smart" or that I should be a doctor or lawyer. And yes, I could probably do either of those if I set my mind to it. But I don't want to do those things. I'm not passionate about those things.
But most importantly, it's not their life. It's mine. And I want to do what makes me happy, especially since I'm the one who will be going to work day in and day out. Not them.
From as long as I can remember I've always been creative. It's always been in me, been something that gets me excited. And I've chosen a career that embodies that, that plays to my strengths. When I go to my internship and get to explore creative ideas, or sit in on a brainstorming meeting, or examine different strategies behind a campaign, I love it in more ways than I can even explain.
And yes, I may not make as much money doing this as I would if I were a doctor or a lawyer. But what I'll lose in money, I'll make up so much more in my happiness.
I've done the jobs that aren't fun, that aren't what I want to do. And let me tell you, waking up and going to those in the morning is much harder than getting up and doing what I love.
I encourage anyone reading this, regardless of how old you are or how much time you've spent studying something, do what you enjoy. Play to your strengths. Pursue a path that will make you excited to wake up, go to work and not dread it. Happiness is so important and a big part of that as you get older is what path you chose to follow.
They say if you do what you love it makes all the difference in the world. And it does. It really does.
So follow your heart. Follow your passions. Do what makes you happy and you'll never work a day in your life.
