Undeveloped Passions

As an engineering student I interact with many colleagues who are burnt out, disgruntled, and desperately need change. It can be tough to realize, but many people do not follow their passions. Instead, they see the learning process as means to an end (usually a well-paying job). One of my close friends said something similar, along the lines of “I am going to school to get a degree to get a good job.” To me that sounds awful, spending 4 years to end up at some company with some job just for the money. Extrapolate to 30 years in the future; what does that life look like? I can’t imagine myself in a job or field that I am not passionate about. Passion drives everything I do, everything I learn, and pushes me forward. Everybody has passions and everybody can harness those passions to live a more fulfilling life. It will take work, but I believe that you can identify your passions and construct an integrated life that allows you to follow them. Do what you love.