When you are deciding on a career path, is the passion or pragmatism more important in your choice?

Passion is important for satisfaction, however f.ex. with a family or in difficult economic situations pragmatic steps also count. Sometimes courage to try out something passionate is important, since today, the economic downturns aside, there is no single fixed optimum career path. When something does not work out, particularly when You are young, possibly there are more options to find something different. Also, if you do not chose a profession where you have much input of someone (f ex your family) who already works in this profession, you'd only find out much later how it really is, and then it still changes. Passion and a good open working climate are the best predictors for professional satisfaction. I feel also that your family life should not be sacrified for a glamourous but very busy profession. Family/Relations should have priority #1.