The Passion vs Paycheck Dilemma

Why I’m refusing to choose (and 4 things I’m doing instead)

Ever feel like you’re constantly pulled in two directions?

Like the kid in Willy Wonka who can’t decide between a lifetime supply of chocolate or a golden ticket to a world of pure imagination?

That’s the perpetual tug-of-war between passion and a paycheck. The “practical” path vs. the “fulfilling” one.

Let me tell you a little secret: I refuse to choose. And I think you should, too!

A Natural-born creative, with a practical upbringing

I’ve always been a natural-born creative, a daydreamer, a lover of possibilities. But growing up, my dad constantly told me to “get my head out of the clouds.”

Those who couldn’t understand my “multipotentiality” — my tendency to have many different interests — saw life as an either/or proposition and they insisted that I see things their way, too.

This created an internal conflict— a deep desire to express my passion for learning and exploring my curiosities versus the pressure to conform to expectations.

I sacrificed my creative spirit for a “sensible” career, and a little bit of me died each day.