I am fortunate it seems based on many responses so far because my degrees have been stepping-stones for my profession. On the one hand, as @voodoo noted, it is important to follow your passion, which I did. On the other hand, my degrees have been directly related to my work experience.
I know I could not have been a public school teacher without the teaching credential, a college instructor without the master’s degree, or a dean without the doctorate degree. There is one thing that is dependable about working in education; it is not so much about location, location, location as it is degree, degree, degree.
Even though it would be heard a heresy in the ivory towers, not everyone needs a college degree to follow his or her dreams or to make a fine living himself or herself; not everyone with a degree makes a fine living or follows his or her dreams.