Would You Make Your Passion Your Profession?

I recently had a serious discussion about career paths with my younger cousin who is currently in Grade 11 and is busy planning her future. She spoke about how she did not want to pursue a career just because it pays well, but how she would rather venture into what she loves.

She further expressed how sad it was, considering the current state of our economy and the responsibility of helping to care for our families, that it might not be possible.

I could hear her distraught tone, and it broke my heart because I could relate entirely to what she said. There are so many situations that drive us to pursue a certain career simply for the money. With that said, I started to wonder, if one had to make the choice – if the choice were genuinely up to you, would you make your passion your profession? Or would you pursue a certain career just for the big cheque?

Personally, I don’t feel that it’s wrong to opt for either one of the two, but sometimes one really does not have a choice but to pursue a career just for the money. And as much as we choose to ignore it, our economic predicament is a fast arising issue that will affect the choices we make.

The pressure is so intense, one must think about ways to survive and how to feed our families. These are responsibilities that we unfortunately cannot choose to shy away from. However, choosing this option comes with its own negative impact – for example, you will never be entirely happy. Yes you will get a big cheque, but emotional health is very important too and people need to take this seriously.

Your work environment, a place where you spend most of your time, shouldn’t leave you in a state of sorrow whenever you think about going back for your next shift. It will also have a negative impact on your overall duties, because when you don’t like something and are merely in it for the money, you are less likely to put in genuine effort to complete tasks to the best of your ability. You will be grumpy all the time and at some point, you will start to have a toxic mentality towards your employer.

As for following your passion, think about how happy you will be to do something you love. Something that brings you both money, and joy. Yes, the money might not be as much, or it might take a while before you start earning a decent salary, but you will be happier. You will look forward to your next shift because you are so enthusiastic about what you will learn again. The only downfall about following your passion, is if it doesn’t pay well or there is no platform to pursue it. Take being a writer for instance, unfortunately there aren’t as many platforms in Namibia alone to make this your profession, so one might struggle financially. Starting a catering business in an industry where there is so much competition means it might take a while to get noticed, but once you get out there, make sure to leave your mark.

It’s a tough choice to make, especially if you are fresh out of high school and are trying to figure out your future. So, my advice to you right now is to make the choice that you are most comfortable with.

You know what, why does one have to choose? You can even do both!

Natasha Lientjies Domingo is a writer who is passionate about literature.

She has written three book series and is currently working on her fourth. She is also a freelance editor, connect with her on Facebook at Tasha’s Short Stories.

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