[npsimons]

As a student about to enter the work force, I'm personally having an internal struggle with which lifestyle to choose to pursue.

IMHO, as someone looking back from 34yo, I would say, try EVERYTHING. Keep your costs low, and take as many big risks as you can. Keep trying different things until you find one you love, then find a way to get paid for that.

So if money isn't the problem, then why do people work their asses off until they break down or burn out?

Some people are really passionate about what they are working on, they don't care about the money. Others are unfortunately just driven by greed. If I had to recommend one over the other, I'd definitely go with passion; just be careful not to burn out.

Also, the passive income thing is always a good idea to keep in mind; put a little bit of work into it, but do it early and don't make it your main focus, otherwise it's not very passive, is it?