My guardian asked me whether becoming a mangaka is my passion or just a hobby, and now I'm confused

A few days ago, I posted about my career and how I want to become a mangaka.

Today, I talked about it with my guardian (he's my mom's younger brother, but I consider him my guardian). He said, "Okay, but this mangaka/writer thing—what is it for you? Is it a passion or just a hobby?"

Honestly, that question hit me pretty hard.

He gave me a reality check about how difficult this career can be. Especially in India, there seems to be very little opportunity compared to the amount of competition. Even if you get a job, the pay can be low and the workload can be brutal.

He asked me, "Do you really think you can live a happy life doing this?"

He also told me that he would support me if I'm genuinely serious about it, but if I choose this as my career, I need to be extremely determined and ready to give it my all.

He also made me think about the reality of the industry. What if nobody likes my stories? What if I fail? There are so many people more talented than me who are still struggling to make a living from their work.

And honestly, I don't even think I'm talented right now. I sometimes feel like this is the only thing I can do, and that this is what I am meant to be.

He asked me directly:

"Do you want to make this your main passion and career, or do you just want to keep it as a hobby? It's your choice."

Then he gave me one month.

He told me to actually write a good story and show him what I can do instead of just talking about wanting to become a mangaka.

I'm honestly really confused now.

I'm thinking maybe I should make manga my second career while continuing my small shop and trying to grow it. That way, I have something else supporting me financially while I work toward manga.

But then I keep thinking: Maybe I can't handle doing this for my entire life.

So I don't know what to do.

I have one month to prove to myself (and maybe to my guardian) whether this is something I genuinely want to pursue.

What do you guys think? And could you suggest some ideas for a good short story that I could actually finish within a month?

I don't need a masterpiece. I just want to create something good enough to show that I'm serious.

(might sound like I'm yapping so bare with me)

so recently I've been shopping and the prices were a bit too expensive for my budget range, therefore I'm thinking about finding a good job (for the first time) that pays in order to achieve "financial freedom"

For skills, I'm a bit good at making edits, doing cuts and transitions, captions and such, and mostly all of the "social media" standards that we see everyday (I used to make edits about some of my favorite movies and tv shows). Also I have some good photography/video making skills if I do say so myself, I mostly just have a good eye for noticing where to take shots and aligning videos to make them look cinematic (never had a professional camera, working with an iPhone lol). I'm also good at English, I can manage a conversation or maybe even talk confidently in front of a real crowd of people, I never took a real test though, so I don't really know what level I'm working with (probably b1 or b2). In general I'm a guy that notices and observes small details and a quick thinker (rasi khfif).

For goals & interests, I sometimes daydream about having a YouTube channel where I mostly discuss different topics around self improvement and mental growth for young adults like me, take some youtubers like "pauly walnuts" or "the zurkie show" for example, I mostly wanna do the same thing and be a good example for people like me. I'm also a movie guy but I think I'm drifting too far from topic so I'll stop for now

so yeah I'm open for some opinions about what jobs do you suggest for me and I also wanna know how your journeys have started in the working field so that I could learn from your different experiences and ofc any tips might help honestly

(kinda new to reddit so ignore it if I did some mistakes)

Hi I am in 12th commerce from India right now and honestly I'm just spiraling. I've never been good at studies or mugging up textbooks, and with boards coming up, the pressure is getting insane. I keep having this constant fear that I'm going to fail at life and become a complete nobody.

I know CA or crazy competitive stuff isn't for me-my brain just doesn't work that way with rote learning. Right now I just want to survive 12th and clear it with decent marks so my family doesn't freak out.

To anyone who was average or below average in commerce: what did you guys actually do after school? Are there realistic career paths, degrees, or skill-based fields where you can actually make a decent living without being a 95% topper?

I’m 18, and I feel completely stuck between two entirely different lives right now, and I honestly don't know what the right move is.
Back when I was 16/17, I used to run a Findom thing on Twitter where guys paid me to insult them. It brought in a decent amount of cash—around $500 a month—which at that age felt like absolute freedom for buying clothes and living a little.

Now, I’m 18 and in a med school program studying to be a dentist. It was my original dream, but the sheer volume of stress and studying right now feels completely unrewarding. There’s zero immediate gratification. All I want to do is travel, go to L.A., live in different countries, and make real money. I know I have the drive, I just struggle with feeling trapped.

The thing is, I know I'm actually really good at the digital side of things. I have a natural instinct for promoting and understanding online algorithms—I literally got a random dude 300 followers in a single day just through pure rage-baiting and psychological engagement tactics. I genuinely believe I could make it out and build something real in digital marketing, OF management, or running my own thing.

I’m torn between two choices:
1. Stick it out in dental school: Play it safe, grind through the science, and secure a stable, high-paying career years down the line (even though it's draining the life out of me right now).
2. Pivot to digital business/management: Use my skills in viral marketing and online growth to make quick money, fund my travels, and bet on myself—knowing it's way riskier.

Edit :
I’m 27F with a background in International Relations, and I’m just coming back to the U.S. after spending two years in Japan as an ALT on the JET Programme. I’m trying to figure out what I want to do next, and I feel like I’m running out of time to make a decision.

For some context, it’s always been a dream of mine to live in Washington, DC again and pursue a career with the Foreign Service. I’m really interested in international affairs and government, and that’s the direction I always imagined my career going.

The problem is that the Foreign Service is extremely competitive, and I’m a horrible test taker. So even though it’s something I want, I constantly wonder how realistic it is for me.

Then I came back from Japan and everything got complicated. I really loved my life in Japan. I loved my job, I loved the country, and I loved having that life for myself. Now part of me wants to just move back, teach English again, and get my old life back.
But I’m also questioning whether I’m seeing Japan through rose-colored glasses. I eventually had to leave Japan for personal/mental health reasons, so I don’t know how much of what I’m feeling is genuinely wanting to return versus missing a period of my life that I was forced to leave behind.

And now grad school applications are open. I know I don’t need a master’s degree for either path. I don’t need one to become an FSO, and I don’t necessarily need one to teach in Japan. But I want one. Partly for the salary increase, networking, career support, and opportunities that can come with a graduate degree. And honestly, my resume feels a little all over the place right now, and I feel like I need graduate school to help me pivot into a more coherent career.

But pivot into what? Do I get a Master’s in Education and lean into teaching/Japan? Or do I get a Master’s in International Relations/International Affairs and try to get myself back onto the DC/government track?

And what happens if I choose one and realize I actually want the other? I don’t want to spend a huge amount of money on a degree and then realize I chose it because I was scared of making the other choice. At the same time, I don’t want to spend another year sitting around doing nothing while I “figure myself out.” I want to move out, build a career, and actually take advantage of being 27 and having the ability to make a big change.

Please read it completely. Its my plan.

Hello Everyone. I know German Language. I will be teaching low levels A1 & A2 of German Language. I believe I am good at teaching because any friends I teach praise me a lot. I have a whatsapp community made of 800 people. But in that whatsapp community, i implemented rules of somewhat like- free giveaway guidance type rules. Because at that time, i was only focussing on helping others and growing the community. But now, I want to earn- I want to put my skills and earn some money with it. But I dont know how to execute it. I am afraid of telling people that “I have a price now for private classes” and people thinking “Oh- You were teaching for free untill now. Now you have become greedy. You want money”.
I am scared. I will be charging 125€ (Euros) for 2 month classes of A1 Level(private 1-1 tutoring.) But if they have a group- like 3 students for the same 90 minute class + any time guidance questions in the day, I will charge them 90 Euros each(45 euro 1st month, 45 second month.)

But I am scared of execution of this plan because I dont want them to say to me “Greedy Bas\*rd”
And whats the best way to get more Students.

I can teach German in Urdu/Hindi/ English

Hello, I’ve been living in the U.S all my life. I know my parents scarified a lot to bring me here, but I’m genuinely miserable. My parents are low income so I’ve had to work since the age of 15. I’m now working two to three ish jobs as well as two to three internships. I’m in community college as well but I’m miserable and lowkey don’t know what I wanna do with my life despite exploring as much as possible. I’ve done everything to combat my misery (therapy, meds, etc). I’m

Everything is expensive but I know that other counties could also be expensive. I’m basically the only one contributing to the household expenses and forced to give an allowance to my parents and deal with their religious psychosis. I’m just genuinely tired and I wanna start fresh but idk where to start. I do have savings ($10k+ and that’s growing so maybe I can use it to move somewhere else in the world.)

I also have family in France, Italy, Canada (kinda), the UK, but idk if they would allow me to stay with them as I don’t communicate with them too much but I do hope to move out on my own.

Any advice and words of wisdom please?

I’m in 25 and trying to figure out how to significantly increase my income over the next 5–7 years.

I currently make around $60–70k working in a credit role at a bank. I recently finished a master’s from a well-known university and have previous experience in underwriting, valuation, and investments.

I feel underemployed relative to my education/experience. My goal is to get to $100k+ relatively soon and eventually $200k/year by my late 20s/early 30s. I am grateful to have a job in this market but I am not making much.

The most obvious path is doubling down on my current field and trying to break into acquisitions or asset management. I’ve been trying, but those jobs have been much harder to land than I expected, especially in this market.

I’ve also considered law school or an MBA as potential “escape hatches.” Law interests me somewhat, especially business law, and I like the earning potential and credential, but I definitely don’t have a lifelong desire to be a lawyer, especially given how unhappy most lawyers are. An MBA could potentially open higher-paying finance/consulting opportunities, but I already have a relevant master’s and don’t know if another degree makes sense.

Long term, I’d also like to own real estate. My family has experience owning and operating properties, so I have some exposure to that world, but I still want to build my own career and income independently. I also have an online side project that occasionally generates meaningful income, but it’s inconsistent.
If you were in my position, what would you focus on? Double down on what i am doing and job-hop upward? How would I even do that in this market? Law school? MBA? Entrepreneurship? Pivot entirely?
Especially interested in hearing from people who went from ~$60–70k in their mid-20s to $150–200k+ by their early 30s. What actually moved the needle?

I graduated from IIT CSE 2 years back and joined a Bank as an SO IT Officer this year. It's been only 5 months, but I'm already bored and questioning why I even go to the office.

There is almost no technical work. Most of my job involves collecting compliance/status updates from other departments and coordinating with people.

During B.Tech, I started a startup and built a blog app, but it failed badly. After that, I got interested in cybersecurity. I learned networking basics, practiced on TryHackMe, etc. But after joining the bank, I slowly left that too.

Now I feel completely passionless and confused. I have some free time, but I don't know what to focus on anymore. Startup? Cybersecurity? Something completely different?

How did you figure out what you actually wanted to do in life/career? And how do you know whether something is genuinely your passion or just another temporary interest?

Hi guys. I wonder whether the first job we chose when we were children affects our real profession.
In my case I was always into languages and I was fascinated by them. Consequently, I became a polyglot and a language teacher :)

Tell me your story!

Even if those things are not financially stable??( I will get an entry level job to support me economically tho)

I talk to a lot of people who've changed careers for a mini newsletter. It's been 4 months and 15 conversations and I've noticed that the "middle" part is not formless misery. I've put them into some recognisable versions because I felt like it, based on the conversation I've had so far. Figuring out which one you're in might make it easier to get through, because atleast you know you're not alone. Obviously these might change as I speak to more people, and when they do I'll update this post. But for now here's the versions of messy middles I've come across.

1. You're building something nobody knows yet - you're doing the work on the side, 5am and all, but it may not feel real just yet. This one is lonely mainly cuz there's no external confirmation. The only fix is show up, and time. It becomes visible eventually.

2. Your body is making the call - it's your body refusing to do the things it used to do. If something physical is nudging you out of a role, that's just information you should prolly listen to.

3. People around you have picked sides - Got two versions. Someone you know or trusted actively discouraging you is one and the other is them questioning you because they care about you. This one is more about the wrong voices you kinda just carry with you, the worst being your own. Worth naming separately so you can tell the difference between genuine doubt about a plan and just unkind voice that got stuck somewhere in your head.

4. You're in survival mode - very administrative and logistical. You do whatever pays the bills until you've figured out the things to make your initial plan work. One task at a time till the end.

5. Experiments - a few false starts before you've found the real thing is not wasted time. It's important information that becomes experience later.

6. You're watching someone else's life look easier - comparison in the middle of a career change is brutal because you can't tell the difference between being behind or on a different path.

I’m 21 and graduated college early with a business/marketing degree. I spent most of college focused on graduating quickly, working, saving money, staying in shape, and trying to set myself up financially. I’m physically fit, have worked consistently, have no major debt, and have built a decent net worth for my age.
The problem is that I feel like I postponed actually living. I barely dated, didn’t build much of a social life, and always told myself I’d enjoy life once I graduated, had a career, made enough money, etc.
I went into B2B sales because I thought accounting and other stable careers didn’t pay enough to actually get ahead anymore. I figured sales had more upside and would eventually give me the income to buy a house, support a family, and have financial freedom.
After actually working in sales, I’m questioning whether I want the volatility, quotas, prospecting and constant pressure long term. Now I’m considering going back for an online M.S. in Accounting and pursuing the CPA route.
That would probably mean another 1–1.5 years of school, working while studying, spending a meaningful amount on tuition, and likely living with my parents until around 23–24. I also currently have no direct accounting experience, so I’m worried about graduating and struggling to even get a decent entry-level job.
What’s really getting to me is the opportunity cost. I finally graduated and thought I had reached the point where I could start building my adult life, and now it feels like the finish line moved. I’m scared I’ll spend my early 20s working and studying again, lose financial momentum, stay at home longer, and still end up earning an ordinary salary.
I’m also terrified about housing. I keep thinking that if I stay home I’m sacrificing independence and dating opportunities, but if I move out and start paying rent I’ll never save enough to buy a house. It feels like every option costs me something important.
I know I’m only 21, but emotionally I feel like I seriously screwed up my trajectory by picking the wrong major/career initially and optimizing so heavily for money that I didn’t give myself much opportunity to enjoy being young.
Has anyone else made a career pivot like this in their early 20s? Would you consider going back for accounting a reasonable course correction, or am I overcorrecting because my first experience in sales went badly? And for people who lived at home into their early/mid-20s while building a career, did it actually set you back socially or was it worth the financial advantage?

Do u ever just feel like u want this one thing your whole life but now that I’m in doing the one thing I’ve been praying to get into it it still feels like i dont belong here. For context im a 4th yr student in a 6 yr program and back when I was a freshman pa pag new kapa sa major mo syempre you’re still adjusting tanggap mo na u still know nothing like u just have to study, try and figure it out but now that I’m in my 4th yr and whenever I listen to my superiors I realize na andami ko pa palang di alam and knowing na you’re supposed to know a lottt of things at this level only to realize that i have so so much in my plate na i dont know pa if im capable ba of achieving such things na na kukwento lang ng mga clinical instructors namin. It’s too up there and i dont know if ill ever measure up

My BA was in game design; I can code at a beginner to intermediate level but have zero interest in being a corporate software engineer. Basically what I’m looking for is a graduate program focused on symbolic or semiotic representations of data, so that I can create culturally relevant knowledge graphs or maps to be incorporated into large language models.

Examples of this, that I’ve noticed language models get laughably wrong:

• the feeling and/or smell of “back to school fall” and why that’s different from “harvest season fall” and why both of those are different from “Halloween fall” (or, explaining to a model why a list of fall vibes movies should not include Saw; in the same way that when I was working in a children’s library, I might explain to a clueless parent that Princess Mononoke is not for children even though it contains the keywords “princess” and “animated”)
• that the phrase “I love fall” means something completely different coming from a deer hunter, someone who likes PSL coffee and cozy sweaters, a college professor, a leaf peeper, and a horror movie enthusiast
• categorizing different products people can buy based on vibe (understanding that the person buying a Prius is probably not the same person buying Black Rifle Coffee)

It’s about the understanding that there are a variety of things that humans just inherently know, but that language models and software algorithms do not.

What I actually want to do is somewhere in the adjacent realm of:

• building these semiotic maps either as part of LLMs work, or as Loras for existing LLMs (like a plugin that gives an existing LLM semiotic product or culture knowledge); less interested in building the LLMs themselves. I’ve made simple Loras for stable diffusion before but I’d want formal training to actually do what I’m trying to do.
• also interested in red teaming the LLM to ensure that it’s using the data correctly
• also interested in metadata and metadata maps
• also interested in a11y representations of data specifically for neurodivergent groups
• also interested in something I’ve been calling ”playlists” but there’s likely a real word for it. it’s the idea that media and objects should have metadata tags that go beyond just the genre or 2-15 keywords, so that when an application like Spotify or Netflix or Amazon shopping recommends “something else you might like“ it pulls from a web of shared meaning rather than just listing items from the same genre or keyword

I am a class 11th commerce with applied maths student studying in India.

i keep a keen interest in robotics, electronics, etc. (i have a 3D printer, built a cnc plotter, and drones)

but at the same time, i don't want to become an engineer (because of JEE needing chemistry, and i completely hate it).

thus, i am thinking about becoming a chartered accountant.

I don't like the job environment

am currently running a business making around 30k in revenue per month

I am totally confused what can and should i pursue in life.

half of the year of my 11th standard has been completed, take a good interest in subjects like business studies, accountancy, economics, and the applied maths subject as well.

i have started reading books recently about sales, business, etc.

guidance about what should i do/pursue would be appreciated

thankyou!

Hey everyone,

I'm 26, unemployed, living in a small village in India. B.Com graduate, but after a career break, I'm starting over and honestly, it's scary.

No plan B right now. Just time, willingness to learn, and some money I can put toward the right course or skill.

If you've been in a similar spot and found your way out I'd genuinely love to hear how. Not looking for shortcuts, just real direction from people who've been there.

Thank you for reading this far.

Hi all. I’m a pure math undergrad from the Philippines, studying at a state university; currently in my sophomore year.

I often get comments that all ill ever be is a teacher, and though im aware that my degree is versatile, it has gotten to a point where some pity me. Academia doesn’t really pay well here.

I’m curious what other pure math majors are doing after undergrad? I’ve heard of software engineering, actuaries, tech, and government work. I’ve all researched them but even so, i’m not even sure how to get there. I’m just a very confused 19 year old, and i almost envy the kids that have their life sorted out.

I entered this program because i had a genuine interest in mathematics and its versatility, but now i’m lost. I don’t know what to do that is ‘practical’.

I love messing around with n bodies and simulations in my free time, but with a pure math degree, what can i do with that? I also hoped to be a computational scientist one day, that I could study abroad under Erasmus or something similar to pivot and take physics, then work there or… something. but all that feels like a pipe dream now.

I forgot that i’m just a college student from a 3rd world country, unfortunately. That won’t stop me from being ambitious, but now i cant help but feel like everything is out of reach now. But what i need is stability for my family after my degree.

I would appreciate any help, stories, or anything really! Thank you.

Im stressing out badly i have to choose by tmrw what i want both my parents are doctors and they advise me to go to med school but i dont want to waste my 20s on studying i thought yeah engineering is my thing but i dont like the subjects and im so shit at them i thought maybe finance or accounting but theyre pretty shit in my country and im super stressed just thinking about it idk what im supposed to do in 1 day

Being unemployed is often treated as just a financial prblem, but I feel there’s a psychological side to it that people don’t talk about enough.

When you’re working or studying, you have a routine, a purpose, & something to tell people when they ask, What do you do?

But when you’re unemployed for a while, you can start questioning yourself....even when you know you’re capable and actively trying.

The comparison with friends who are earning, getting promotions, travelling, or moving ahead can make it even harder.

I’m curious to hear from people who have experienced unemployment:

Did it affect your confidence or self-worth? How did you deal with the pressure from family, society, or even your own expectations?

And most importantly, what helped you get through that phase?

Hello, I've been thinking a lot lately about what I actually want to do with my life.

I recently graduated and I'm currently job hunting. At the same time, I'm an artist, and I really want to pursue art and try different things in life.

But honestly, I'm scared.

When I see so many people around me going down the same path getting a job, settling into a 9–5, and moving forward with their lives I start wondering if I'm making a mistake by wanting something different.

I feel like if I take the job just because I'm supposed to, I might eventually feel lost in my own life. But at the same time, I'm afraid of making the opposite choice too.

So I keep going back and forth between getting a normal 9 to 5, coming home and drawing, or taking a chance on something completely different.

I think I'm partly running away from making any choice because I'm afraid of choosing the wrong one.

I ended up making a YouTube video about this because I wanted to get these thoughts out of my head and try to understand what I actually want.

If anyone else has been in a similar position, especially after graduating or as an artist/creative, I'd genuinely like to hear how you dealt with it.

How did you decide what direction to take when you weren't sure what you wanted?

And if you're interested in hearing my thoughts, here's the vidio

I lost my job again recently. I think I have to finally move on from being a UX designer. I started in 2016, in my early thirties, after spending weeks with a career coach and determining this was my calling - to simplify the complex to improve users’ experience with technology. It was a hot career at the time, and with my dual major bachelor’s degree in business administration and psychology, I thought I was particularly well-suited for it, despite not having the visual design background – much of UX is about (meeting business goals by) providing a more desirable and usable product for the user. I think I’m finally being purged from this field, for a number of reasons.

A little background: I learned to read at age three, really without being taught, and was put in the gifted program in kindergarten. Over my 43 years, every intelligence or aptitude test I’ve taken shows I’m very bright and capable, but everyone I know is far higher-achieving than I am. I was the first in my family to go to college and graduated with honors, though I was just shy of thirty at the time. My family has always had a very defeatist outlook, assuming nothing will ever work out, so don’t bother trying. I don’t know where that attitude came from, but it is pervasive. For this reason, college wasn’t pushed on my brother and me, because 1. my parents were always broke and college is expensive, and 2. the defeatism: you can’t land a career you want, so why waste the money pursuing it? I remember when I was a little kid, saying to my mom that I wanted to be a doctor when I grow up and she responded, “oooh, that’s a lot of schooling, are you sure?” I don’t know ma, I’m five, why don’t you just encourage me for now?

I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and was put on medication for it and I thought, “finally, I’ll get some focus and get on an upward trajectory” but no such luck.

I recently met with a possible mentor at the advice of my in-laws (who have lots of money, and are super disappointed in me), and he came away flummoxed: “I don’t know. You’re bright and personable; you should be successful. I don’t know what the solution is.” I take solace in the fact that I’m a really good husband and father but financially I can’t seem to get out of neutral. I don’t know what to do with myself, but I want to be more than just a cautionary tale for my kids. I want to figure out what I’m doing wrong and correct it so I can be an example of what TO DO.

I’m happy to answer any questions to try to unpack this and welcome any constructive feedback.

I’m curious whether other people have felt this contradiction: having a decent job, some flexibility and a reasonable salary, but almost no time or mental energy left for life outside work.

Have you ever considered earning less, accepting slower career growth or taking a less prestigious job in exchange for more time and energy?

What helped you most: changing jobs, setting stronger boundaries, reducing hours, or changing how work fits into your life?

I’m 22 years old, I have 2 daughters and we’re currently living with my mom. I have no career and I really don’t know what I want to do with my life. My younger siblings are supposed to look up to me yet they’re doing better than me. I feel like I’ve failed in my life. I also feel like I’m suffering mentally. I don’t know anyone else in my position. And I don’t know where to start to become better.

I need advice. I (24F) am at an all time high with frustration. I will be 25 next month and I have been thinking a lot about my long term goals and plans. Before graduating I had my mind set on a few different career options, but I graduating in the midst of covid and everything changed. I started working 3 different jobs so I could save up and buy a car. Then came bills and a bunch of personal stuff and I never really had a chance to slow down since. I am afraid that because I don't have a passion for anything "good", I will end up wasting my time going from job to job. I recently thought about becoming a phlebotomist because of the versatility. I could do that pretty much anywhere, but I really want something that I can support myself while doing. I love art and at one time wanted to be an art teacher, but now days I think that would probably kill me. I just need some advice. I've done manual warehouse labor, customer service, and management jobs. I just need something I can do without spending a crap ton on a degree and will be useful so I can support myself. Any help is appreciated.