Jobs v. Careers

The once-harmless question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" waxes more and more sinister as I creep toward the quarter-century mark.  Maybe some of my fellow 20-somethings can relate: you went to college with hopes of attaining a career, but now you find yourself with, or perhaps even looking for, a job instead.  There is no shame in this, inherently.  But then there is that question, the one we were all asked when we were younger and which our parents and other adults now ask with concern.  After explaining what you are doing now, they ask with a slight frown and knitted brows: "Well, what did you want to do when you were younger?"  This question is probably meant to help us return to our primitive states and explore long-lost dreams and interests.  But instead of making us feel inspired, it makes us feel defeated, as if our current situations are unacceptable.  Or maybe we just feel confused.  What I wanted to be changed on an almost daily basis: I had an author phase, a ballerina phase, a talk-show host phase, a zookeeper phase, a nun phase (no, really), a Jane Goodall phase, a comedian phase (helloooo SNL), a fashion designer phase.  There was no rhyme or reason to my choices then, and I can make no rhyme or reason of them now.  The only thing I can deduce is that I am fickle, which isn't exactly a helpful resume-builder or sound foundation for a career.

I think we would all agree that passion is a key element in choosing a career.  In work as well as in love, passion is the antidote to routine, the spark that keeps the fire going.  If you are sensitive, however, passion can be damning.  The line between passion and obsession is very thin, and sensitive folks are often the ones walking it.  I applaud and envy those who have always known what they wanted to do and have committed themselves to doing it regardless of the consequences, but I know myself well enough to know that this is most likely not the path for me.  Could it be that I don't have a passion for a particular career?  Maybe.  But my resistance is certainly not due to a lack of passion.  I am passionate about music and books and writing.  I would love to be a musician, a writer, or, in a perfect world, a singer-songwriter who also writes music reviews and literary criticism.  Do I think any of these things will happen? No, and not just because I'm not talented enough; the thought of doing these things for a living nearly scares the passion out of me.  When you care about something with great intensity, your expectations of yourself within the context of that something will also be great.  If your performance within that context affects your livelihood, those expectations can become crippling.  Passion should liberate, not cripple.

So what is the solution?  Is it possible to have a career you're passionate about and still be happy? I'm sure it is, but I'm not sure it is for me, and it may not be for you.  If you have a job that pays the bills, doesn't stress you out too much, is moderately interesting to you, and allows you to have a social life and some hobbies you are passionate about, you're doing very well.  If you love something so much it hurts, make it a hobby and don't quit your day job.  Live within your means and don't turn down opportunities that could lead you down a different path on principle alone.  The next time someone asks you what you're doing with yourself, don't apologize and don't make excuses.  And if that dreaded question comes up, say: "When I was younger, I wanted to be happy.  I still do."