These are, perhaps, some of the statements most of us have already come across previously....
INTROSPECTION
“Study those subjects that have scope in Pakistan”
“What is the point of studying a subject that has no ‘job openings’ here?”
These are, perhaps, some of the statements most of us have already come across previously, or if you are yet to finalize your college major, I would suggest that you better brace yourself for such uncongenial receptions at social gatherings. Making the right career choice is one of the most intangible dilemmas teenagers face, especially, in this society where a restricted mindset regarding education prevails. We are, at times, overwhelmed with complex notions such as ‘job scope’ and ‘potential’ which often becomes a cause of frustration for many, as they bar us from following our true passions in life.
Our Pakistani society, in general, has a penchant for only a certain set of careers, most of which are those with high annual salaries. This is primarily the reason why most of us are raised to believe that there is a positive correlation between wealth and career satisfaction; even parents, at times, try to impose their decisions on their children to ensure that they end up pursuing a well paid profession. However, this mindset is entirely wrong. A recent survey conducted by the career advisory and assessment services in Pakistan has brought forth the statistics, that 94.74% employers think that due to the lack of career advisory services in Pakistan, students end up studying courses which do not match their personality. This ultimately becomes a cause of dissatisfaction and frustration for most of them. Thus, many people around us spend their whole lives in pursuit of material gains, yet fail to attain the most indispensable aspects of a successful academic life as well as a professional life -solace and satisfaction.
There are multiple factors that may lead to the wrong career choice, yet the most jeopardizing of them all is abandoning your passions for other worldly factors. In such circumstances, it is pivotal for us to ask ourselves a few simple questions that may be helpful in further decision making. Can money buy us bliss and satisfaction? The answer is no. Then, what is it that makes people happy and successful at the same time? If we think of people, like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, who attained both success and satisfaction, then what is it that makes them stand apart? Did they all simply blend into those stereotypical careers and end up making it big? No, rather stating it as simply as possible, that the small distinguishing factor between them and other people is ‘passion’.
Every person differs in paradigms and perceptions. As stated by Albert Einstein, “Every person is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to fly high it will give its entire life believing that it is an inane”. Thus, not all individuals are born to enter into a certain set of careers. Everyone has their own unique passions and strengths which they must learn to enhance; this is precisely the methodology that people like the aforementioned legends employed. Although, most of them opted for paths which apparently had few chances of progress in the future, they proved the world wrong. They not only centralized their efforts around their visions and beliefs, but most importantly, they worked towards materializing their dreams to reality, thus achieving both, satisfaction and success simultaneously.
As Steve Jobs quite beautifully summed up, “Your time is limited, so do not waste it living someone else’s life”.
So, the next time someone judges you for majoring in a subject with ‘little scope of high salary’, just ask yourself this simple question-Can that wealth give me the satisfaction my passion can?
