A butterfly cannot predict the pattern on its wings before it transforms. Nevertheless, it goes forth bravely into its cocoon and allows the transformation to take place without worrying about the result. Life is filled with many important choices whose outcomes are unknown. For young people, these choices can be especially frightening, as they have the potential to shape the rest of their lives. One such crucial decision is choosing one’s career. When we make the choice of a specific career, many of us cannot predict exactly where the path will lead us, much like the caterpillar who cannot predict the pattern on its wings. Yet, we must brave forth and embrace the path that we choose and trust that the reasons for our choices will be our loyal companions throughout our journey.

However, what if these crucial choices were shaped by something other than our passion and genuine liking? What if the reasons that are supposed to encourage us throughout our journey gradually became pointless?

Over the past few decades, our world has transformed into one that constantly flourishes with new inventions and innovations. This, however, is not because we have more needs, but because we have more avenues to explore our creativity and ability to innovate. It is true that most children in today’s world are given the opportunity to be a part of spaces to gain creative and innovative skills such as various clubs, art and music classes. Regardless of this, most individuals seem to be pushed towards a few specific fields of work after their schooling. The encouragement to be creative often seems to be limited to the period of childhood, as there are very few young people who choose a career in fields like art, literature or music, and fewer still who choose to acquire further education in those fields.

The truth is, many young people, upon reaching the stage of having to make a choice for their career, are faced with a hidden ultimatum: do they choose a career that they are passionate about, or do they choose a career that is lucrative and can support them throughout their lives? For a few lucky individuals, their passion already lies in a field that is generally considered lucrative, so they do not need to make this decision. However, the reality for many young people is that they are pushed to give up their passion and creativity just so they can survive comfortably in the long run. Many young people also shoulder the responsibility of having to support their families immediately following their period of schooling, and it can be difficult for them to choose their passions over a chance to fulfil their responsibilities.

Fields like music, art, drama, and literature offer very few lucrative and stable opportunities for young people as compared to other fields. This means that even those who are extremely skilled and passionate in these areas are forced to treat their passion as a hobby while focusing their energy on a job that can provide a stable income. In addition, the growth of these very important fields is also stunted by a lack of individuals who are willing to enter them. The changes required to foster a generation of young people who are free to pursue any career they like may take some time to occur. In the meantime, we can make some personal choices that can prevent us from leading a life doing things we do not love.

Even if we are placed in a situation where we can no longer pursue our passion in a professional capacity, we must ensure that we constantly develop our skills in the area we desire and connect with other individuals who share similar interests. Opportunities like conventions, seminars, and conferences can be quite useful in learning more about our interests and gaining new chances.

Our creativity as a generation should not be shaped by the need to survive, but should be supported by the desire to thrive. If there is not yet any space for us to express our creativity, let us make collective efforts to create our own spaces. Until then, let us hold on to our passions and refuse to give up on doing the things that we truly love. When the world does change, can you imagine the great feats that we can achieve as an entire generation that is empowered by the ability to express itself freely?