Upon asking for career advice , I often hear people- parents and well wishers say " Go by u r interest , u will succeed". That is cliche and is too dangerous to heed. Interest after all is personal and has no social meaning. If interest were to make someone successful, then every kid going to cricket summer camp will end up in Indian national team or every student in a dancing school would become a dancing exponent.
A successful career needs at least three components: Interest, skill and value system. Interest of course is needed but sufficient. The best that interest can give u is "satisfaction". But skill is what gives social meaning, contribution and of course economic value to an individual. Skill also gives u the edge in time of competition. Finally value system that which makes the individual to enjoy if not tolerate the mundane part of the work. Unless NR Murthy had fully accepted the value of his work in building Infosys, he would not have enjoyed the otherwise boring - millions of miles of air travel.
So before u take up a career check the following
1. do have interest- gives u satisfaction
2. do u have skills - makes u productive
3. do have value system- gives u happiness to remember and relish