Life changing decisions

Yes, we all know about them. Unfortunately.
Those "life changing" decisions, which are supposed to guide you to the best career you ever might have.
Work has defined our generation. Although we are, comparatively, not as bad as the workaholic Baby boomers, we certainly have been sucked up in the never ending vaccum called work. We build our routine around work, placing family and friends in second place. One of the best ice breakers in a conversation is not "what's your passion?" but "what do you do for a living?"
Okay, maybe "what is our passion" is a bit over the top for normal conversations. But the fact remains that work has become a defining feature, a way to present ourselves to society.
I don't just want to moan. Work has been known to be good for human sanity, an antidote to boredom. "It's just a job" can be to many "it's the way for me to feel important".
So what can we conclude about work and our jobs? Important, yet over-valued? Essentiel, but ruling over our social life?