The first time I knew I wanted to be a lawyer was around the age of 7. It was “Bring Your Parent to School Day,” and one of my classmate’s moms was a lawyer. I don’t know what it was that captivated me when she spoke; maybe it was her confidence or her cute pantsuit, but I knew that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up. 

I grew up binge-watching shows like “Law and Order” and “Criminal Minds,” which fueled my passion for “lawyering” even more. 

Many parents, if not all, push their children at a young age to pursue careers in law, business or medicine — or, as I like to call them, “The Big Three,” because they are known to be financially stable and relatively secure.

Many students pursue careers in art, writing and acting, but they are discouraged by parents who tell them it’s a tough, unstable job selection that comes with that career.

People tend to romanticize The Big Three and consider other career paths to be unstable. The problem with romanticizing these careers is that students feel the need to get a degree in The Big Three. Forcing our students to follow a career path that isn’t their choice makes the job they get insufferable and passionless. Students should not be forced to pursue a career they aren’t passionate about just because it makes more money. 

Many students pursue careers in art, writing and acting, but they are discouraged by parents who tell them it’s a tough, unstable job selection that comes with that career. If you love something enough to want to do it for the rest of your life, then do it.

It’s time that we move past the excuse of instability being the reason to not pursue a career. There are so many great benefits that could come out of a degree in philosophy, theater or art. If the income/salary is low, then our parents assume it is not a good career choice, but that’s not the case.

Every career has its ups and downs. Being a lawyer does not automatically guarantee a $100,000 salary. There are plenty of types of lawyers who don’t earn as much for the work they do because of the type of law they study. For instance, while being a corporate lawyer has an average salary of about $111,877 a year, immigration law pays an average of $69,071 a year. Similarly, becoming an artist does not ensure you automatically start selling pieces of art at $25,000, and your first book is not guaranteed to be a bestseller.

Times have changed, and careers are not what they used to be.  

When I decided to become a lawyer, I didn’t take into consideration the monetary value or what it could do for me, but what I could do for people with this job. Studying law was never about what my starting salary would be — it was about the way I could help my clients feel empowered in a situation where they felt powerless.

I saw it myself, having had ridiculous outstanding hospital bills that many other lower-income families cannot pay. It made me passionate about representing people who have been wronged by the medical field and helping people get justice. That passion is what fueled my desire to follow through with this career choice, regardless of what anyone else had to say about it. 

The misconception we have is that careers in art, philosophy or theater are not rewarding careers in the long run. It has nothing to do with the type of career, but more so about how bad you want it and how much you’re willing to work for it.

There are plenty of painters, actors and writers who make the most out of their careers and are even more successful than people in The Big Three, but it’s all about dedication and the time you put into it. If you as a parent are discouraging your children from the start to not pursue their career of choice, you are setting them up for failure.

If you can truthfully talk about your career path in a passionate way and see yourself doing it for the rest of your life, then do it. Money can only go so far to ensure the happiness and stability of an individual. Financial stability is optimal, but it’s not the only goal to strive for when picking a career. 

An ideal job will reward you with money, happiness and success within the bounds of your goals.

Just like The Big Three, there are three big things one should pursue in a career. An ideal job will reward you with money, happiness and success within the bounds of your goals. You don’t need a mansion or a Mercedes-Benz; you just need to be content with your life. 

My grandmother used to say, “If you’re passionate about something, don’t push it away. Don’t let someone make whatever it is you’re passionate about feel insignificant. If it isn’t rewarding in the beginning like you thought, over time you’ll see how rewarding it is in other aspects of your life, and you’ll be grateful you stuck with it.” 

Picking a path that does not consist of The Big Three is okay. Studying something in The Big Three is also okay. What matters is that everyone chooses a career that they are truly passionate about and love.