Of course, he's right. Still, you have to do something with your life and if you are going to do something, do it properly. Do it to the best of your ability and feel the satisfaction of having done a good job.
There is nothing more miserable than working in a shitty job that you don't give a stuff about.
As for the money, that will come if you do your job properly. Who doesn't want to hire the best teacher, chef or programmer?