[ddevault]

The career path that enables you to have the most fulfilling life.

You only get one life - if you're not spending it doing what you enjoy or are passionate about, you're wasting it. Decide what you want to do or accomplish with your limited time in this mortal coil, and then make a plan which allows you to meet those goals.

This decision is personal and exists entirely outside of the economy and your role in it. Your career only comes into play when you need to make money to meet your goals, then you have to figure out the balance between working and living and make sure that the work supports the living. The perfect career is one which directly supports your life goals by virtue of being paid to get the most out of life, by making a career out of something you're passionate about. Don't fall for the propeganda that would have you be satisfied with a corporate wage slave life simply because it "feels right". Become a corporate wage slave because it enables you to meet your goals, not because it is a goal in and of itself - but if you can manage it, try to skip or minimize the wage slave step and accomplish your goals directly.

In short, think about your life before you think about your career, and use your conclusions to frame your thinking around your career.