As a college student, I am constantly thinking about my future, especially in an environment like the one at Vanderbilt where we constantly face questions that force us to confront our futures. 

“What are you studying?”

“What internship are you doing over the summer?”

“What do you want to do for a career?”

So many factors play into what we choose to do with our lives. For one, career expectations may be placed upon us by family, friends, society or even ourselves. At a school like Vanderbilt, it’s easy to feel like you have to go down a standard corporate path or pursue something similar to your peers. In many ways, it can feel like there’s one path you must follow based on your interest. If you like science, be a doctor. If you are good at reading and writing, go to law school. If you are good at math, be an engineer. It can be easy to feel like there is something you are “supposed” to do because everyone around you is doing it. 

One common piece of advice we hear growing up is to “follow your passion.” But, as we get older, that advice becomes a lot more complicated. We often get told that our dream jobs aren’t realistic or that we should prioritize financial stability instead. One study found that a mere 8% of Americans were actually working in their dream job. So, it is worth asking, why do so many people give up on their passion? And how has it already happened by the time we reach college?

Already, I’ve noticed that I and many of my peers at Vanderbilt are consciously choosing career paths that don’t excite us simply because they seem safe or financially secure. But still, the question remains: How much of a factor should passion be when choosing a career path? And what other factors should be considered when choosing a career? 

The reality is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Some people thrive in highly structured, high-paying jobs. Others find fulfillment in creative fields, even if the paycheck is less stable. While money certainly matters, it is not the only requirement for long-term fulfillment. 

A Forbes article discussing the Killingsworth study explains that, even though money can help increase happiness and fulfillment, they are ultimately influenced by other various factors like health, how you spend your time, how your job fulfills you, whether you feel you have a purpose and more. A job that pays $500,000 per year won’t always guarantee satisfaction or happiness. The combination of all of the other life factors is likely to have more of an impact on your happiness than money. If you are happy with your relationships, how you spend your time and your health — then yes, a little extra money is obviously nice to have. 

Research also suggests that money and happiness can impose a paradox, as suggested by a Forbes article. A 2003 study by Daniel Kahneman and Ed Diener found that people who sought more money and had stronger financial goals were actually less satisfied with their jobs and other aspects of life, including their relationships. From this, we see that people whose primary goal was to make more money ended up being less satisfied, regardless of how much money they actually made. Money can make you happier, but always wanting more money can end up hurting your happiness. This paradox shows us that it’s crucial not to view money as the ultimate goal — doing so could end up hurting you in the end.

In addition to considering money, there is a Japanese concept called “ikigai” that provides an extremely valuable framework when considering our career path. “Ikigai,” which refers to “that which brings value and joy to life,” encourages us to consider a wide range of factors when thinking about our life and work. One Venn diagram with “ikigai” at the center highlights these many factors. The four main circles are “what you love,” “what you are good at,” “what the world needs” and “what you can be paid for.” And, in the very center, is “ikigai,” which is what will lead to the most fulfillment in your life. This highlights how, when we choose a career, we cannot simply consider what makes money or what we are skilled at. We have to find something that intersects all of these factors because they all contribute to long-term fulfillment and success.

When I was in high school, I created a simplified version of this Venn diagram that focused on what I loved and what I was good at, and it provided me great insight into how I should be spending my time. In the overlap, I could see things that could bring both personal joy and professional success. The truth is, you can find financial and professional success in almost any field if you’re good at it, and, more importantly, you can find fulfillment in the process. At the same time, just choosing a career because it is considered “stable” or prestigious does not guarantee success if you do not have any skill or passion for it. 

That being said, turning your passion into your career can also bring challenges. Burnout is real in all fields of career, and just because you love something now does not mean you will feel the same after doing it every day for many years. That is why it is important to consider the sustainability of a career path and the overall lifestyle it will provide you.

Another important reminder, especially at a place like Vanderbilt, is that there are way more career paths than we might think. Not everyone pursues the most obvious job tied to their college major. So, it is important as college students to spend time researching different jobs, networking with professionals and really putting in the effort to see the variety of opportunities available in the world.

Perhaps the most important question to ask yourself is this: What does success mean to you?

Again, there is no one-size-fits-all model for success. If your top priority is financial freedom, then it makes sense to consider career paths that offer high earning potential. But for others, success might look completely different. Maybe the most important thing to you is having the time and energy to raise a family and be home for dinner every night. In that case, having a career that keeps you away from home, even if it brings prestige and a big paycheck, might feel unsatisfying and empty. Some people place a high value on independence and would rather be self-employed than work under someone else’s authority. Others define success as having the flexibility to travel and work from anywhere in the world. 

Something that has always felt deeply important to me is having a life that reflects my values and beliefs. I want to pursue a career where I feel like I am making an impact in the world and staying true to my values. So, if I were to pursue something that didn’t align with this idea, even if it brought recognition or financial gains, it would not feel like true success for me.

Once you know what matters most to you, you can start to look for a career that actually supports your vision of success. Again, if you value time with your future family but choose a career that keeps you working 80-hour weeks, the disconnect will eventually catch up to you.

In the end, choosing a career path and finding success is deeply personal. It is not about following the expectations of others, but about knowing what matters most to you. We must balance many factors such as money, passion and skill in order to find what will lead to the most fulfillment. We must determine what success actually means to us because it does not mean the same thing for every person. When you build your life and career around what truly matters to you, that is how you can find ultimate success and fulfillment.