The importance of loving what you do

I love what I do.  I cannot describe the amazing feeling of wanting to go to school and learn about my future career.  There is no dread.  There is no procrastination.  There is only excitement to learn. I cannot wait to become an occupational therapist! (BUT I also understand I have a long way to go).  This is truly the first time in my life that I have loved going to school and learning.  I honestly did not realize how much I disliked my undergraduate major until I started my graduate course studying OT at UTHSC.  While I love the idea of being completely fluent in Spanish by then end of my undergraduate career, all that I felt I learned was the history of other countries (ew!) and that I am terrible at speaking another language.  Now I don't want to indicate that I absolutely hate anything related to the Spanish language.  In fact, I think Spanish is a beautiful language spoken by amazing people.  I love the culture and food.  I loved my experience studying abroad in Costa Rica for a summer.  I love the idea of helping a population that is growing and spreading throughout the United States at an incredible rate.  But, studying about the regime of Franco and reading Spanish poetry were things that are difficult for me to find an interest in even if in English!  Regardless, I am thankful for that history and hope to use it in the future.  But what about now?  Now, I cannot describe the difference in my excitement to open up a textbook and learn the material necessary to becoming a competent practitioner!  This is my passion and fuel to continue studying.  My effort now won't just be reflected by a passing grade but also through providing the best services to my future clients as possible.  That is an exciting and also scary realization, but I am willing to give it my all because this is what I truly want to do.  What about those people who don't really know what they want to do?  What about all those undecided majors or people who want to go to medical school because it seems the "smart" thing to do?  Sadly, I believe much of our ideas and beliefs about a successful life revolve around money.  All too often I have talked to people who choose their major or career on what they conceive will result in a successful life.  However, I have also unfortunately seen many people drop out or give up on college and school because it was too hard or they failed classes.   Instead of choosing what they truly wanted to do such as pursue a degree in math or art, they decided on something more "stable."  If they made it through school, they dreaded going to work.  First of all, I could not imagine being motivated through school if I did not have a passion and future desire ahead (OT school).  In all honesty, after I found out I was accepted to graduate school, my last couple of semesters in college saw a much more laid back and less motivated Lauren!  I still did the work and put forth an effort, but I also had the comfort that I did not have to make straight A's.  This is where I really question how people are able to get through school if they are not passionate about what they are learning.  I for one would have really struggled to find motivation through school if school was not deeply interconnected with my motivation.  Secondly, I am saddened by others who are dissuaded from a career that truly appeals to them for one that they are told will "make them happy."  What is happiness?  Does it not vary based on the individual?  I see for myself that my happiness definition is probably very different from another's.  While I would agree that being able to pay bills and eat are definite factors affecting my stress levels, I also don't feel that a yacht or mansion are definite sources of happiness either.  Perhaps I am naive, but I believe it is vital that each person is able to pursue his own individual passions and desires even if they are by society's standards useless or irrelevant.  For instance, if a career in teaching Spanish would provide me more monetary funds than a career in OT, I would still pursue a future in OT.  OT is a career that I cannot wait to practice, not because I want a fat paycheck, but because I want to help others.  I cannot wait to work with clients and develop relationships with them.  I cannot wait to set goals and *hopefully* reach them with my clients.  I cannot wait to think creatively and learn to adapt interventions based on my clients.  These are my motivations for becoming an occupational therapist.  Honestly, when people tell me I'm going to make money being an OT it almost annoys me.  Yes, I understand I have to be able to support myself, but at the same time, I believe that you can make things work no matter your paycheck.  I like to hope that if you are pursuing what truly motivates and inspires you, then you will be successful.  That success may look like a lot of money, but I think the true measures of success revolve around if you love what you do, if others are inspired by you, and if you make an impact in another person's life.  Those things, not money, are what will get you through the day.  They will be what you think about when assessing if you had a good day.  The number of smiling faces I encounter, not the number of dollars I accrue, will be what I look forward to as a future OT.