Do What You Love, Love What You Do

Written by Tanvir Rahman

When thinking about your future career I think it is important to choose something that you really want to do. Something that you are passionate about and know you will work hard at. For me, my passion lies in Visual Communication Design/Graphic Design. Although this is my passion now, I didn’t always know that. I came into Purdue majoring in engineering. I thought it would be fun creating the things that make this world work but I just did not like the work I was doing and felt that this is not what I signed up for. So after talking with different counselors and taking career tests I found VCD and have stuck with it ever since.

Now, just because you are doing something you enjoy or have fun with does not mean your future job is secured. It takes a lot of hard work and tenacity to get where you want to go but when dealing with your passion that journey can be a positive and eventful one. For me, I want to become a graphic designer but I can’t just jump into it. It takes years of studying and practice to improve your skills and knowledge. Right now I am working to get my degree and also working on projects outside of class to better my skills as a designer. Getting that degree is important because it shows how much work you went through and the skills you have obtained in that long journey. It’s a lot of hard work but in order to be “great” you have to do “great” work. 

The phrase “hard work” may seem like a negative one but it really isn't. In my field projects with short deadlines are assigned all the time and it takes dedication and commitment to meet those deadlines. However, I am doing what I enjoy so when I am working on graphic design projects I spend a lot of time on them but there’s no other work I’d rather be doing. I can see what I’m learning and how I’m growing and it makes me want to learn and grow more. My philosophy is that when you are doing something you are passionate about the hard work, commitment, and desire to do great all come naturally. I was always a slacker when I was younger and ever since I switched to VCD I have never worked harder in school and in my professional life. My cousin once told me, “do what you love and the money will come.”

So if there's anything to take from this article it's that you should be working in what you are passionate about and have a desire to succeed in. It takes a lot of work to get to that dream career but you will have a strong desire to put in that work when dealing with your passion. I love my major and whenever I am in class or working on projects I am so interested in what I am doing I just want to keep learning more. I think it is very important to enjoy what you are doing or won't have any motivation to succeed in it. So when you're doing what you love, you'll love what you do.