Not knowing what I had gotten myself into, I trudged up the cement stairs leading to the building. I was greeted by several students and shown to a large classroom where people had already taken their seats.

After sitting down, I placed my purse on the table and shrugged out of my coat. One glance around the room told me that I was most likely the youngest of the bunch.

Several minutes passed in silence – I was too nervous to strike up a conversation with anyone. My feeling of awkwardness soon ended, though, because an older gentleman stepped forward and started to speak.

He made a couple of jokes to initiate the conference, most of which were surprisingly funny. Following this opening, he introduced the speaker of the night, a young woman of about 26, who strode to the podium and spoke about her experience in the communications field.

At first, I was excited, hoping to find out just how incredible my future might be. With every sentence she spoke, my ears strained to pick up any mention of glitz and glamour associated with the profession.

By the time she was halfway done with her speech, however, my enthusiasm faded and was replaced by disappointment. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing: months of auditioning, a year or two working without pay, and an initial $25,000 salary? That was far from music to my ears.

I sat motionless in my chair, unsure of how to react to this knowledge. Should I be sad? Mad? I contemplated the two emotions before ultimately deciding on neither.

A smile crept across my face; I was happy.

What’s the point in getting a job you hate just because it pays well? Honestly, there isn’t one. You are supposed to discover the one thing you’re good at – some may call it a “niche” – and figure out how to incorporate it into your future.

If you’re one of those people with dollar signs in your eyes, you need to pay attention to this article, because it could save you from a lifetime of misery and torture. I will say it once, and I’m not saying it again: Life is not all about money.
My advice is simple – find what you love and stick with it. You’ll be glad you did in the long run.