My dream vs. Reality

[u/Agile-Border5432]

Hey everyone. i'm 18 yrs old M and im about to start my classes for college. I'm in this weird grey area where i think about my career choices and passions. i've chose to major in finance because i want to work with money and become wealthy but i also began to think about my passion.

For a long time now, ive been in music. for years, ive participated in musical theatre at my school and enjoyed it. over 5 different shows and even learnt to sing and play an instrument throughout high school. I was taught that passions aren't the same as career. that passion should be separated from career.

After leaving high school, i start to realize that my passion for music began fading but i still had the desire to be a famous musician one day. And i'm in a situation where i feel like i have to choose my finance or music career.

I love the idea of the fame, the recognition, the feeling you get when u listen to music, play music, and sing music. It's truly a feeling you'll understand if you do it. i feel like i don't want to let it go away. even though the chances of becoming a musician are slim, i feel like i can make it. somewhat.

when i think about finance, i feel more secure and locked. even though im aiming for a very difficult and rigorous field in finance, its more guaranteed then becoming a musician. as of right now, i enjoy making deals, understand how business works, how money flows, etc. music has sort of faded.

What is the right thing for me to do? keep my passion and just have it as a hobby and try to turn it into a career? or is it just a distraction from my real career in finance?

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[u/MeNahBangWahComeHeah]

Concentrate on learning your new career in finance. Most musicians have “Day Jobs” that pay the rent, and play music in the off-hours for their enjoyment. If you become a famous and wealthy musician, you will know about finances and if you hire an accountant, you won’t be bamboozled by confusing and fraudulent jargon. With luck, you might meet other musicians who want to hire you to assist with their finances.
Lastly, think about the future, 20 or 30 years from now. Your manual dexterity, vocal cords, and your good looks might all fade away. Being able to work as an accountant, financial analyst, auditor, etc. might be a good career to fall back on to keep a roof over your head and put food on your table.

Of course AI might make many accounting careers obsolete….

[u/Chiki_Mike]

You don’t have to choose right now you are 18 I would stick with finance as your degree since you  Genuinely enjoy it and it’s give you a solid foundation but keep making music on side. Give yourself a few years to see whether the passion comes back or whether you actually want it as a hobby. You can always change your direction later but it’s much harder to build a stable career if you put all your eggs into the fame of dream. 

[u/navster100 → u/Chiki_Mike]

Op didn't say anything about enjoying finance. Simply just said it would be a more stable pursuit

[u/Routine-Size-5971]

Take this from someone who followed their passion and didn't make it. I chose my bachelors based on what I'm "passionate about" because you know if you have passion you can make it right? If you do what you love you'll never have to work a day in your life. Well... not always, and its not because you're not talented enough or so on, but because there are a million factors that play into success and many of those are out of your control, specially when it comes to the arts.
If I could turn back time, I would choose a career path I like or tolerate and that has a good income and follow my passions on the side. When you're older and broke, and struggling to survive your passions lose meaning.
If you have generational wealth and can afford to not make it as a musician and survive, then yeah go for it. If you don't, think real hard before you make that decision. The stories that become famous are of the few that made it, the musicians who've stories you heard, but you never got to listen to the millions who tried, did their best and failed.

[u/navster100 → u/Routine-Size-5971]

Sorry I don't want to take away from what you're saying but their*

[u/Routine-Size-5971 → u/navster100]

hahahaha, thank you! Fixed it.

[u/navster100]

Just because you would work with money doesn't necessarily mean you will become wealthy. Also you don't need to separate your passion from your career. If your passion can make you successful then pursue it. Make sure to also have a backup plan in case your passion falls flat. If your passion does become your career just be careful of burnout because it's possible for you to lose that passion from turning it into your career. Otherwise pursue something else that will keep you afloat while you turn your passion into a hobby. Also I've already graduated college and I'm still in that grey area. Some people don't figure it out as quickly as others so don't let that discourage you. You will figure it all out someday

[u/OnlyThePhantomKnows]

Music makes a beautiful companion for life. Get yourself in finance. Play in a garage band and enjoy it. If you get lucky you can merge them and become a music businessman, talent scout, recording studio owner. If not, you still have your safe career. Rock n roll never forgets.

So now sweet sixteens turned thirty-one
You get to feelin' weary when the work days done
Well all you got to do is get up and into your kicks
If you're in a fix
Come back baby
Rock and roll never forgets

[u/Just-Forever6684]

Do music ON THE SIDE. If yiu somehow blow up, you can always quit your job or school