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My hometown of Corvallis, Oregon used to have a summer science and art festival called DaVinci Days.

And when I was in ninth grade, that year, they brought in a guest speaker from NASA.

And it's kind of funny now because I don't remember his name or his specific job.

But I do remember exactly what he said.

He wasn't an astronaut. He was an engineer, though, who had stars in his eyes when he talked about his work.

And he said, I don't really have a job.

I have a hobby that I love, and I just happen to get paid for it.

And let me tell you, 14-year-old MeGna was sitting in that audience mesmerized thinking, oh my God, yes!

That is exactly what I want. When I grow up, I want my work to be my passion.

This is on point. I'm MeGna Chakrabardi.

And alas, I did not become an astronaut or a career engineer.

But that message about finding your passion in your work really stuck.

It's one I'd been hearing for virtually all my life. And maybe your life, too.

In fact, in the past 50 years, the exhortation to find your dream job has thoroughly permeated how Americans talk about

and believe they're supposed to think about working life.

It's plastered on coffee mugs, office plaques, in job postings, in high school and college counseling sessions, and in books.

...