As children, we all constantly heard the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and we gave our exciting and unrealistic answers, "I want to be an astronaut!" or perhaps an NFL player, a writer, a surgeon, a teacher, or even the president of the Unites States of America. As we grew up, these dreams may have changed. We learned about how some make more money than others, but should that truly be the deciding factor here?

Now, as young adults we are asked a similar question, "What are you going to do with your major?" or "What are you going to do after college?", but the responses to our answers aren't the same as they were when we were kids; "How are you going to make a living doing that?" or "Are you sure that's what you want to do?", all leading into the idea of money.

Can we actually do what we honestly and openly desire to do? Can we really strive for a job that we love and admire going to everyday? Of course. But, what if it doesn't pay as much as others do? Well, who cares? If it's what you love and if it will make you full of joy to wake up everyday going where you go, then that's worth every ounce of chance.

In this period of time, my generation is normally lectured on the importance of getting an education so that one day we can get occupations that pay well and are able to support a family. Well this is important, let's not forget what getting an education is truly about-learning. Education gives us the opportunities to take classes in what we love and what we're interested in; it gives us years to find ourselves and what we want to do with the rest of our lives. To strive to one day have a job that fulfills your passion is the most extraordinary stride someone could take.

My parents have always taught my siblings and I that we should do what we love-no matter what it is and no matter what others say about it. They taught us that we'll be better at doing what we love because we'll be happier than we'd be otherwise. Well many can argue that it is crucial to find an occupation that pays well due to this economy, what if this means living every day for the rest of your life completely miserable? If we all chose to follow our passions and what makes us beam radiance, then we'd never have to work a day in our lives. Human beings need all types of occupations to live happily, peacefully, and healthy. Writers, doctors, performers, musicians, athletes, counselors, teachers, scientists, lawyers, poets, etc.-we need them all, so why not choose to follow your passion?

After seeing members of my family and friends go through life discovering their passions and talents to then one day turn them into a job that they sincerely have an inclination for, I've learned that it can be stressful and that it is not a smooth road. There are bumps, turns, and detours along the way. But in the end, it is always worth it to choose passion, to choose happiness.

While I'm still finding myself and what I wish to do with the rest of my career and overall life, I've decided to focus more on passion than money. Once this has been decided, my options have opened and I'm discovering different things that I never knew I'd grow attached to; perhaps one will lead into what I decide to take as a career when I finish schooling.

Take your passion and accept it; roll with it all the way and don't be afraid to flaunt it every second you can. With strides, hard work and fight within you, it will lead into your profession; then you'll be able to say you love what you do by doing what you love.

"Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it's business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don't love what you're doing and you can't give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short. You'll be an old man before you know it." -Al Lopez

"Do what you love; you'll be better at it. It sounds pretty simple, but you'd be surprised how many people don't get this one right away." -LL Cool J

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” -Steve Jobs

“Yes, I’ve made a great deal of dough from my fiction, but I never set a single word down on paper with the thought of being paid for it ... I have written because it fulfilled me ... I did it for the buzz. I did it for the pure joy of the thing. And if you can do it for joy, you can do it forever.” -Stephen King