By Kaylee Jacobs

Recently I saw a Tik Tok from a professional artist who was sharing some of their negative experiences making money from their art, a talent that they curated over their entire life. The comments were filled with various perspectives on the matter. Some said the artist should be grateful for the ability to do what they enjoy and make income, while others agreed that they too would not be able to handle the pressure of their passion being their profession.

This got me thinking about all the conversations I’ve had over the years with friends, relatives, and strangers alike asking me what I want to do professionally and offering the advice that if you do what you love you will never be working. It seemed like everyone around me had a dream college, job or employer, and all I had was a general idea. As a high schooler fumbling to answer that question and listen to this advice, I felt pressure to find one specific field or skill that I truly felt was mine and dive head first into that, while ignoring any other areas of interest. 

Over time, I have come to disagree with that advice. In all honesty, no matter what you pursue, there will always be something that requires work. Taking away the pressure of only doing what you love gives you the ability to explore and learn about whatever piques your interest. I believe we should give ourselves the freedom and flexibility to do what we enjoy, learn and fail without fear of being perceived as unsuccessful. It can be important to pursue a job or career doing something that you love and find fulfilling, but your sense of self should not start and end with academic or career validation.