Whether you're in high school, in college or out of school altogether, in life there is always a certain level of pressure put on young people to figure out exactly what it is that they want to do, or perhaps more accurately, what they ought to do. You hear the same question all the time: "what do you want to do after school?" and one would think the number of answers is unlimited, that you really can be whatever it is that you want to be, but often times that just doesn't seem to be the case.
When someone asks what you want to be, chances are they're probably looking for a specific answer - a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher; the list goes on and on, or so you want to believe. If you're asked what your major is there's a particular one they have in mind, such as biology or finance - anything that seems practical and is perhaps most likely to get you a job the minute you graduate. Even though a person is so much more than their career, it's hard to argue that a career is one of the most important aspects of your life, which is exactly why it should be something you love.
It's okay if you don't want to go to medical school or law school. And it's okay if you do. It's okay if you want to be a journalist or a psychologist. And it's okay if you don't. You don't have to be something just because you feel like you have to, because someone else thinks that you have to. Some people are better suited to be a doctor, and some people specialize in different areas. The possibilities really are endless.
People always say you should do what you love, but I think it's more than that. It's not just about working in a particular career field because you love it; it's about loving what you do so much that you don't even consider it work anymore. When you're really passionate about something, that's all that matters. Not the thing you're passionate about, but the passion you have itself. No matter what it is that you want to do or wherever you want to go it should all come down to passion.
The next time someone asks you what you want to do or who you want to be, just remember that you're not there to please someone else. The only person you have to please is yourself. If you love what you're studying and the job you want to pursue, then that alone is reason enough to be proud of it, not because it's something that will make you successful in life or guarantee you a career after you're done with school, but simply because you love it.
