Doing things for the right reasons, no matter what

In an article I wrote last semester, I talked about the importance of getting as much work experience as possible while attending college classes. It will do much more than just benefit you financially. If you don’t find out now what you are good at, you may spend four to six years in school and end up getting a degree in a field that you absolutely hate. When that happens most people figure that it’s too late to go back to school and end up working in a field that they can’t possibly excel in because they have absolutely no passion for what it is they’re doing.
You may find it hard to believe but there are actually people out there who adore science and math and other similar subjects that are studiously avoided by most normal people. You may have to retake a class sometime during your academic career. Many people I have spoken to, talk about how good a particular professor is or how unbearable one can be as well. The subject material may be exactly the same but for some reason you are able to learn something the second time. Contrary to what you may want to believe, it probably has little to do with an increase in the area of your brain that is actually working. If a professor loves what they are doing and are passionate about it, they will have more success in teaching others. The same applies to you in whatever field you go into.
If the reason you want to be a doctor, lawyer, investor or dentist is because your parents and friends will tell everyone else how cool you are, there is a pretty good chance you’ll fall flat on your face. If you decide on a career path because you have heard or think that they make a bunch of money and that is the only motivation behind your choice, there is also a good chance you’ll wind up miserable. Some students go into fields based on the expectations that others have for them. If you happen to be in this situation, it may be wise to face your parents or whoever it is that you think you need to impress and make a few changes. If your dad’s a brain surgeon and you want to teach kindergarten, there is nothing wrong with that. I know I wouldn’t want to go to a brain surgeon who hated their job.
Most people who you meet in this life who have achieved their goals haven’t reached the point that they’re at by accident. The majority of the bosses you will have throughout your careers are bosses because they like what they do. If you like what you do, you will perform better, and if you perform better you will be given opportunities to learn more and make more money. The moral of the story is this: if you are the best at whatever it is you do, you will also make the most money. If you don’t really like what you’re doing, it will be very hard to be the best.
I know much, if not all of this, may sound stupid to most of you; after all, I’m just a student like everyone else but I have experienced a few things in life that have really opened my eyes. My last manager made over a million dollars a year and had never been to college. Around 75% of my co-workers made over $100,000 a year and had never been to school beyond high school. They enjoyed their jobs and were good at them. When my wife was 21 and I was 23, we had our first home built and we had three-new cars. Now, I’m back at CEU. We sold our home and two of our cars. I came to a point where I realized that the only reason I was doing what I was doing was because of the money. You can trust me when I say that if you do things for the wrong reason, you will probably end up hating your life. If you ever reach this point, don’t be afraid to swallow your pride and hit the eject button. I think that the only thing better than getting a second chance to get something right would be not having to start all over again.