Quick, what are you doing with the rest of your life? Oh, not sure? Well, you better fix that by Christmas.

Such is the ultimatum that is facing dozens of sophomore premajors. By the time the Christmas tree is trimmed and all the presents have been discovered in the Foley’s bag in the back corner of mom’s closet, these students will have picked a career path.

Behind this choice lies a motivator that can make or break lives: for love or money?

Do you follow your dreams and take a risk in doing what you love, or lay it up short of the green to avoid the water hazard and pocket a cool $100,000 a year?

Nobody dreams of being the senior vice president of midwestern distribution for Wal-Mart when they are a kid. Nobody will change the world by being a cubicle-dwelling pencil pusher lost in a sea of MBAs.

Before the Neeley School of Business starts sharpening the guillotine and burning me in effigy, let me clarify that last statement. Businessmen are what invigorate the economy. Life as we know it would cease to exist without them.

Entrepreneurs are needed to market the next great product that will change the world. Stockbrokers are needed to invest people’s money and secure their well-being. Accountants need to keep track of all the money. Well, unless you work for Enron accounting firm Arthur Andersen, then you can just make stuff up.

The motivation of making money, however, should never be the chief factor in choosing a career. To do so is a violation of the human spirit.

In Adam Sandler’s 2002 flick “Mr. Deeds,” co-starring Winona Ryder, the main character delivers a compelling speech to prevent shareholders from voting to sell his late uncle’s company and put thousands of people out of work.

In it, he asks if the childhood versions of all the shareholders would be satisfied with what they grew up to become. The answer is an overwhelming no. Nobody in the room wanted to grow up to be in the business of making money. People wanted to be magicians and doctors. Some dude wanted to work at IHOP. Some woman wanted to be a man. You know, typical Sandler fare.

The theme of Deeds’ speech rings true. Would the kid in you be proud of the person you’ll grow to become? Or would he/she duct tape your limbs together and give you paper cuts with Pokemon cards?

The world needs passionate individuals who love what they do.

The world doesn’t need any more executive VPs.

David Hall is a sophomore news-editorial journalism major from Kingwood.