If an outside remark got under your skin then you need to reassess your own feelings. It could be that you are the primary person feeling that uneasiness but it was just verbalized by someone else.

Eg. If I told a thin person that he is fat, he will look at me like I'm retarded and keep talking. If I told a fat person that he is fat, and he feels the same way, it will get under his skin cause it is already bothering him even if he can tell it.

I heard this fucking line so many times during my undergrad: "Geology is my passion! I am so passionate about rocks!" etc., ad nauseam. The worst part is, it still hangs around in my professional life; I just had a former colleague on LinkedIn congratulate me on a new contract with the phrase, "isn't it so great you get to do what you are passionate about?"

Good god.

Despite being very interested in geology and Earth history, and being very good at my job, I have never - not once - been passionate about it. Are you fucking kidding me? What kind of moron gets passionate about their job?

I hate the word, I hate the emotional context it tries to create, and I hate its sad application as nothing more self-rationalizing bullshit. "Well, I guess I am stuck with this, better try my hardest to convince everyone and myself I actually like it."

It's the romantic comedy trope of the working world. Instead of falling victim to it, do what is interesting/challenging, take pride in what you are able to accomplish, and use it to fund things that are more fun and enjoyable, be that travel, mountaineering, playing squash, or reading scientific journals.

Don't fall into the hype surrounding 'passion', and debunk that shit whenever you can.

You should have some work you're passionate about, but it doesn't have to be something you do for money. It should be something you take seriously and invest time and energy into, but it shouldn't be something other people pressure you into. No one else can give your life meaning or your work purpose, so disregard what other people say and focus on what makes you happy in the long term.

I don't know your relationship with this girl, but it's the mark of a good friend to ask when you don't seem like you're doing what's best for you. Sometimes we need some honesty from another person to reorient ourselves.

First off, NEVER do what you are passionate in life with as a career. It's terrible often repeated advice. If passions could pay the bills, we'd have a whole lot more artists and musicians running around. However, they don't most of the time.

This doesn't mean just follow the money though. It just means, be realistic in what will bring you closer to your goals. Do you think the founders of Instagram were passionate about mobile photo filters? No of course not. Yet, they weren't miserable either. Yes, they were busting their ass, but the key to their drive and fulfillment in their career is what is key. That key is purpose.

A man should be constantly be seeking and pursuing their purpose in life. What they shouldn't be doing is wasting their time building another man's purpose (another mans company). It's no different than raising another dudes child. Your this other guys bitch. Your building his purpose in life. Your working hard to ensure he has enough money in his life where he can buy nice things and exercise their financial freedom.

Every time I mention this around here. Someone will eventually respond with, "Well, yeah. But I have bills to pay." Well, so does everyone else. And this guy will also spend the rest of his life saying, "I have bills to pay" as an excuse to slave away in a job they hate. They'll rarely travel, because they have to work. They will never truly experience freedom nor will they actually offer value to the world. They are a free market bitch that sacrifices their limited time to another man in exchange for some cash.

Of course, just because you choose the standard career route we've all been fed our entire lives, it doesn't mean you're a bad person. However, you're certainly not being the best person you can be. You can still have a great life, beautiful wife, and great children, but you could have so much more if you actually created value for the world.

I plant trees for a living and I love it. I make ok money, and it keeps me in great shape. It got me through uni debt-free and next fall I plan on entering a Master's program. Wear and tear on your body is inevitable and can be mitigated by taking care.of yourself. I love that I can get such a tangible sense of accomplishment from something so simple. I hit 1 million trees this year!

I'm a veterinarian. I love my job. I'm excited to get up and go to work. I have fun. I'm even pretty good at it.

Is it my favorite thing in the world? Nope. Is it my dream job? Nope. Do I care? Not a bit.

My job, my career, isn't who I am. It isn't what I love. I love my family and my friends and my dog. Being a vet lets me be better to them and take plenty of time for myself. I would rather be a good vet (and make a good living doing it), instead of a struggling [hypothetical dream gig] who can't make my age.

I made the decision to have a career that I like (maybe I love, but I like it a lot) in order to free myself up to do the stuff I really like. Because, for me, the stuff that I really cared about wasn't my job. It doesn't have to be the perfect job to make you happy.