The Reality of Choosing Passion Over Salary In Your Career

When I was a child, I was bombarded with messages about choosing a stable career. My family valued financial security, and my parents told me to pursue a field that would land me a job.

In the beginning, I followed through with their wishes. I thought that if I put all of my effort into school, then I’d eventually see the fruits of my labour. I was on the grind — I tried to obtain the best grades so that I could earn a spot in a prestigious program. It was the first step in securing a profitable job.

However, over time, I asked myself if I truly wanted to pursue a specific career just for stability’s sake.
As I questioned my decisions, I began to choose my passions over job stability. I decided to obtain a makeup artist diploma because I loved art. I thought that with the diploma, I could land a job that I truly cared about.

But once I became a makeup artist, my career didn’t take off like I had hoped. I didn’t get the best gigs, nor did I find any other makeup-related jobs.

The lack of gigs I received devastated me. However, I still wanted to explore other fields that offered more security.

I then decided that the next best option was social work, simply because I saw tons of job opportunities available. The field doesn’t have the best pay, but it seemed like a far more stable option than a career in the arts. However, after pursuing social work, I realized that the field came with a heavy emotional toll. Social work just wasn’t a good fit for me.

I switched to a business program, and I felt confident that business experience would land me a job. After all, business degrees are versatile, and corporate jobs generally pay well. But during my internships, I once again asked myself whether I truly liked corporate jobs.

I excelled in my internship role, and on paper, business seemed right for me.

But I learned that I don’t necessarily want to do corporate work long-term.
My internship experience taught me that chasing a high salary may not fulfill me, and that’s OK. I don’t know what career I’ll end up in, but maybe there’s an opportunity out there that uses my degree but that also makes me excited to go to work each day. I’m sure that it’s out there — I just haven’t found it yet.

Our economy is constantly changing, and it’s difficult to find jobs in almost every field.
Applying for jobs is competitive no matter the salary, so why not choose a position that will highlight your skills and make you happy? Having a stable career is great, but without passion for a job, you may not get as far. Choose positions that you care about, and you’ll gain experience without burning out.