Careers: Money or happiness?
 

It seems to be a trend that I see a lot.

People compromise their happiness in their career for a higher pay. "I will put myself through hell just to make more money."

Which is more important to you:

- Enjoying your work, despite whatever pay you make.
- Working for the money you make, no matter how tedious it can get.

Personally, I think if you enjoy what you do, you're much more likely to excel and reap your own personal benefits that aren't in a form of currency. You have your sanity, you like getting up every day to go to work, but you make just enough to live on.

Definitely enjoying your work despite whatever pay. Happiness pays a hell of a lot more than the boredom or hatred for a job that you don't like. And if you're enjoying your work so much . . . maybe someone will notice your passion and promote you. Never know . . .

I'd want both but seriously I think of pay first.

I am a bit money greedy. Every since my 4 sisters left the household...I've gotten more and more because the extra money is all directed towards me. I didn't live in a rich household but I get more money from my mom than an average person. This really messed me up. Not to mention that I was spoiled and pampered thanks to being the baby of the bunch.

All of that has made me want a job that pays very well so I can live a pampered life. I want a very Nice Home with a jacuzzi, I want to be able to afford to eat steak and expensive foods whenever I please...yet I don't want to work hard. By having my family do everything for me, I became really lazy and laidback on just about everything.

I pretty much don't think I can do well by having a fun job but not having the cash flow to back it up. I see it this way, are you going to be happy at a fancy home or at work? But then again, I guess it matters if money is your source of happiness as well.

My intentions are to pursue a career in a field which will primarily give me a good degree of pleasure in.

It just so happens, however, that the path I am pursuing will more than likely pay well for me. (The biomedical world is developing and expanding fast) However, if I do not make a whole lot of money, I will not be too disappointed.

However, one thing that I would have to take into consideration would be the fact of raising a family. For family's sake, I might have to put more stress on making money than I would like.

Are you planning on doing research for the majority of your career? It seems to me that the biomed field is a LOT of fucking research, unless you're working for a private company, doing something that isn't hands on. (Of course there are exceptions, but research is known to offer very little in the way of income.)

Research pays very little, you know. And working for a private company usually means you won't be doing what you love - but its the way to more money.

So here is your dilemma. THIS should get interesting. =D

Well, a lot of private companies, from what I have seen, have research foci which fit well with what I want to look into.
Because the field is still really young as well, I've seen a lot of "elbow room" in research.
But yes, R&D is where I want to go.

Obviously most people won't be happy having to live in the ghetto because they don't make any money at a job that they like. I would say to shoot for a happy medium if you can't have both. I'd rather make good money at a job that I don't like, because I would rather live in a decent neighborhood, in a decent home, and afford to eat decent food. Of course, because I am somewhat intelligent and have a college degree, I have more options available to me, so I am more likely to have a job that I like and make good money doing it. Kind of like what I have right now.

Just for conversation sake, how does one determine "decent neighborhood/home/food?"

I guess thats one of the major things I am curious about, you know? How much is a person willing to compromise for their standards of living? What ARE their standards of living?

It really gages and interesting topic in society if you ask me. What is "decent." Where do the boundaries lie? What are we willing to do to achieve the "American Dream," and what IS the American Dream these days?

(I have a completely skewed American Dream, thus I ask normal people - or SEMI-NORMAL. ^_^ )

I would like to find a job/career where I enjoy doing what I do. But unfortunately I'm lost in what I want to do and it's already the end of my third year in college. There are things that I enjoy such as science and "playing" on the computer but when things get too specific, such as programming with C++, I tend to lose interest.. so I'm still searching for something I'll enjoy and I'm not really looking at what the pay is for jobs/careers.

I'd rather do something fulfilling, even if I made barely enough to get by. I'm going to work in music (as a performer), a field in which the work is usually inconsistent and the pay often meager.

I'm not interested in anything else and I don't have a "backup plan," which in my opinion is giving up before you even start. But I don't plan on ever having a family, as I can't imagine trying to support others with this sort of a career.

I went the money route, not by choice, but I needed money to pay rent and it eventually lead me to a nice paying job. I hate it though, and only people who seem to be motivated by money enjoy themselves here. I'm the type of person that can live without fancy cars, big house and big jacuzzi. Despite having all that, I am not happy. That's because I spend about 9-10 hours of my life wasting away at a job that is not satisfying in the least. This puts me in a bad mood which I bring home. For me, it's not really about walking out of the office and leaving it all there. The job, the people at my job, they all make a huge difference in regards to how satisfied I am.

You spend most of your life at work, I'd rather feel fulfilled, rewarded and happy, that way I don't come home feeling like shit and not wanting to wake up the next morning. That's just not me. I kind of wish money would buy my happiness because then I could stay at this job and buy whatever I want. So instead, I'm actually quitting, going back to school and eventually come out with some cheesy degree that leads me to really low paying jobs but at least I'll have fun doing it.

I can't see myself landing a cushy government job where I sit on my ass all day doing very little work but I have a huge pension ahead of me. I just can't do it. It's job stability, it's a easy work for good money, and it secures your future. Why doesn't that appeal to me? I wish it did. I don't know, maybe because I have ambitions and higher standards for myself. :p Right now I'm surfing forums while at work. Eventually I run out of things to do and instead of being able to go home and take a nap, I need to sit here and waste another 4 hours of my life doing nothing.

Knowing that most people don't like their jobs anyway, if I have the option to try and find my dream job, I'll do it. I don't believe that there is no perfect job out there. Maybe not perfect, but close enough. I'll go crazy if I stay at a thankless job that I don't enjoy.

I'd take either at the moment.

Money can't buy happiness but it sure opens up a lot more opportunities for you to find it. If you have plenty of money it's easy to study a subject that interests you so you can change careers. Provided you don't live beyond your means (which is possible at any income).

This is where being a traditionalist (and being married to one) benefits me greatly. I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but happiness comes before money with me - waaaaayyyy before money - and because my husband is the "breadwinner" in our household, I have the luxury of choice where he does not.

Of course it would be ideal to have both, but if I really had to choose one it would be happiness over money any day.

Thinking about this really makes me sad because lately I've been pressuring him to stay with his current job as an Army officer (which he hates) instead of going back to his civilian job in pharmaceutical sales (which he loves), since he makes so much more money in the Army. Being a man must really suck sometimes. =/

I just so happen to enjoy a high paying career. However, if it came down to one or the other... I have to enjoy the work.

Worked in a cubicle for one year. I ahted it... it paid better than any other job I could get at the time, but it was so boring. Right now, I have two jobs, both of which I enjoy. One of them pays great :) but has very low hours... The other pays ok, but has alot more available hours; alot of people think it pays well, but personally, I disagree, if I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't be doing it.

I wouldn't exactly say that I'm the image of normality either, but we can pretend otherwise for these purposes.

I didn't grow up in a family that had much money, so to me "decent" is not huge six bedroom, 3 bath house in a gated community. For me, decent is what I have now. I live on the "good" side of town, in what is a quiet neighborhood. I live in a townhouse style apartment, two bedroom, one and a half bath {that means that I have a bathroom upstairs where the bedrooms are and a toilet downstairs}. The building only has three apartments in it, so I have two neighbors, who are about my age and quiet.

I don't have to deal with no-class thugs walking past my apartment all the time. If I want to sit outside during the day, I don't have to worry with someone walking up to me trying to sell me drugs. I don't have to deal with some bum knocking on my door at midnight asking for money. I don't have to worry about getting shot or mugged between my front door and my car {in theory}.

Ok, where I live isn't perfect. I have train tracks running about 50 yards from my back door, which may bother some people. I am used to it. Sometimes I might have to pause my movie if a train goes by while I'm watching a DVD, because it blows its horn as it goes through the intersections within a half mile of here.

Because I didn't grow up in a rich family, my "dream" living situation would probably be living in a garden home {like in a sub-division, it's called different things all over}, in a quiet neighborhood. Just a nice three or four bedroom home with a furnished basement consisting of normal walls, a pool table, large TV, gaming equipment, etc. Maybe that is something that I will one day have. Maybe I will have something similar, but not quite what I had dreamed about.

I no longer like the idea that one should be happy where they work. I've pretty much given up hope of finding something I would enjoy doing for over 40 hours a week ad aeternam, and I think that the myth that such a thing should exist has created a segment of society with utterly no motivation. It's sufficient for me that work will never be boring. Then again, my ideal life would be books and games without working and without the guilt associated therewith.

So basically, big surprise here, I'm a fan of middle-ground. I don't hate the job, and make sufficient money to have few concerns about living comfortably, while at the same time having enough free time to have a life.

Pleasure before the money, but usually pleasure can be bought through money. Money doesn't matter too much to me as long as I am enjoying myself. Last year, before contracts, I made $8000 for my year's pay. With contracts, I made about $12-15 grand. I hate fulfilling contracts, but I love stagecrew. Sure stagecrew pays bullshit, but I love my coworkers, my boss, and the work I do. The only reason I am leaving my job now is because my coworkers have all turned against me (I'm 25, and all my coworkers are not of drinking age yet). I'm just the old man at the disco. I gotta move on.

Of course, with enough money, I could just make friends elsewhere easily.

Wierd Al once said "If money can't buy happiness, I'll guess I'll have to rent it."

well it may be pointless to say, but I'd love to get a good paying job that I also love. who knows if that'll work out though.

I'm definitely shooting for happiness first though. get a job I love and learn how to live with that money wise. if that doesn't work out, I'll just lower my standards I suppose until I land a job that is as high as I can get it on both the happiness and money scale. I'll be going to university for a degree though, so my chances of getting a better paying job are already higher than if I just went out looking for one now. sustaining a comfortable lifestyle shouldn't be too hard with that, and if I end up marrying someone who also has a similar paying job then the combined income shouldn't leave for too much money stress.

there's a fairly large General Motors plant in a nearby city and even though the workers there make a lot of money, I hear mostly that they don't really like their job. factory work is pretty boring I imagine and I assume thinking about how much money you're making every hour eventually wears out. I think the money is just so good that they don't ever leave their jobs though, they just kinda suck it up and go somewhere nice for their vacation time I suppose.

You're ultimately compromised unless you find a good balance between the two. For example, if someone is interested in being a scientist that studies animals but his or her parents urges them to become a doctor for the money, the person might need to choose somewhere between those two jobs. So then, the person can become a veterinarian and fulfill their desire to study animals while the parents should also be happy because their child is still a doctor and making good money.

Just wondering,..

what is your skewed American Dream?

As for my answer, I would rather have a job that I'm happy with. Money from a job I can't stand won't work well with me in the future.
But since I'm young right now, I wouldn't mind having a job just for money.

I look for a balance of both. I sold out. Circumstances forced my hand. But at least I run my own business that allows me to have a small amount of personal freedom which I can derive a certain amount of enjoyment out of. Even though I'm doing some thing(s) I absolutely despise. Oh well, least I'll have an early retirement.

I make myself take a job that has good pay, and slowly make myself fall in love with the job. It'll take time, but eventually I'll start to like it.

For me it's all about happiness; money is nice and all but I prefer being happy doing something I enjoy instead of being paid a lot and hating ever second of it.

I remember being an RA for a couple of summers at a University; it paid more than my 2 day a week part-time job but the STRESS and HASSLE completely negated the pay benefits. By the end of the summer I was completely stressed and pissed off.

I was offered 2 jobs, one that paid $6.50 an hour and one that paid $5.25 an hour, I went with the $5.25 one because I didn't want to pay taxes and I wanted my weekends to be free. The money is a grant from the institution I am involved with, so taking the $5.25 will not cause me to pay taxes.

That being said, I want to become a director and an author (perhaps even an actress, but it's very doubtful). However, I do come from a lower income area and money seems to be very vital. The competition in the job market, due to outsourcing and technology, is starting to become ever more challenging (even doctorates are having trouble finding decent jobs).

Therefore, once I begin my full career (whatever career that may be) I'm going to mostly chose money if I can not find a balance. Here's how I see: If I can make enough money, then I can do things I enjoy in my spare time and be financially secure. If do something I like for very little money, then bills will get to me and I would be unhappy anyway. Perhaps it's the curse of the Earth Sign, but with the way the economy is falling, I'm going to be thankful to even get a financially-secured job with a bachelors degree.

I do want a balance and will try hard to find one, but if I had to chose I would go with money.

Money=Happiness ^_^
Unless of course the job is taking your pride then I'd take another one ~_~

People make the mistake thinking that a higher education automatically increases your chances at a job. All it does is help you get a second glance on your resume and possibly put you on a list. When 2/3 of the people out there who are employed are employed because they got a hook up, your skills, your competence, and who you network with is what will get you the job you want. I grew up hating the idea that you need to rely on people to get you jobs, but I found my first job on my own, and proved to my boss what I can do, and since then, he's been looking out after me and he will be the best reference for any job I take in the future.

I agree. My major is probably one of the most connection-oriented majors around (besides business and politics). I do not want to go for a Masters b/c after 18 years of school (I went to kindergarden twice) I want to actually do something with my life that does not involve studyding. However, many of my professors now tell me that a bachelors degree is about the equivalent of a high school degree a decade ago. It's great to hear about how you think the idea of connections to get a job is wrong as well. I just hope I can be that lucky in the future.

Having connections and using them to get jobs isn't really as unethical as it sounds. I used to despise the idea too, but put yourself in the position of the person doing the hiring. You get a bajillion applications from a ton of people who all read those websites and went to those seminars that teach you how to look and sound all snazzy and brilliant, and you're probably pretty jaded about it by now. You throw out the ones who don't look snazzy because you have to weed this gigantic list down to something manageable.

Then it becomes basically an arbitrary decision based on some random little detail that appealed over all the others. Given the volume of applicants, you can't really afford to do a full investigation of each one's strengths and weaknesses and how those would mesh with the rest of the company.

If instead, you knew someone you trusted, who could vouchsafe for the competence of one of your potential employees, it gives that particular applicant so much more credibility that it's simple common sense to pick them over some stranger who could afford shiny designer paper. I'm inclined to think that this practice is less like trading favors and more along the lines of risk assessment and general good business practices.

Not true. My hubby and I broke into the six digits for the first time ever this year, and he absolutely detests his job, not to mention the fact that he hasn't lived at home with us for two years now. The money is great, but it doesn't keep you warm at night.

No I agree, I grew up hating the idea. But now that I'm older and I realize just how hard it is to find a good employee, I can totally understand why people want referrals. I interviewed a couple of people and let's just say, you wonder how some people get jobs in the first place. I got my current job through a referral and I'll probably get my next job through one. I like to try on my own though, but since I'm trying for an industry that isn't easy to break, networking is the way to do it. It's a bit too salesy for me (since I'm in sales now) but now I know why sales people network so much, you can make money. Although my motive isn't about the money, I just want to do something I'll be good at and enjoy.

When you're in my place and 6 figures won't make you want to stay, you know you need to get out. :p

I've had jobs that I didn't like and the pay wasn't great but if it did pay well then I'd keep it. I grew up hardly having money and currently struggling getting it. So in my case I'd be happy with a high paying job becuase for those that don't have money then thats all they really need, atleast something to start off with.

Unfortunately for me I want a job that ifs full of happiness. Why unfortunately? Well, I love being able to say: "Oh I wanted to be a concert pianist" and if I worked hard enough (much harder that is) I really could become one. However, I'm going into accounting since in real life, the naturally talented and insanely devoted are the most likely to become performance worthy. I don't like accounting and it only started as a whim in Grade 11 when the course was bird in itself, but everyone's saying about how it's one of the highest paying professions. It was rather depressing getting my income tax done last week, thinking that would probably be what I'd do for the rest of my life.
So I would love a job that provides mega-happiness over high pay, but I don't see how going into Commerce helps with that. My backup plan would be that of a Math Teacher, which I'm not particularly ecstatic about, but it would definitely be better than sitting around a desk, avoiding trying to surf the net every single day.

I'd prefer to be satisfied with my career. Performing the same job after many years may become routine, but if I wouldn't necessarily grow tired of helping patients and using the skills I learned in school.

Accounting isn't that bad. Although if filing your income taxes made you depressed that's debatable. Look on the bright side. If you go to work for one of the top five accounting firms, you could relocate yourself just about anywhere in the world. Plus, you'll absolutely love the side benefits of your job of being encouraged to shred financial documents. Like the firm of Arthur Anderson of Enron fame!

The key is to remain positive. And answer as little of the SEC (or it's international equivalents) questions as you possibly can. Remember, you were ordered to do that. It wasn't your fault.

I'd really love to get a job that would also provide me with a lot of money, but there's not much that interests me, other than hobbies that cost me money, including gaming and music. Either way, I'm fairly adaptable, as I can easily do things that don't interest me, provided that they aren't boring, if that even makes sense. :p I find that I eventually come to a stage where it's me against *insert unintersting thing here.* For example, I recently took a CAD class for a graduation requirement. At first, I wasn't too thrilled at all, as I didn't really like anything like that anyways. Within a month, I found myself looking forward to each new challenge, even though I still didn't like CAD or engineering any more than before.

Anything accounting-related is a big no-no, however. Wages won't persuade me here. :)

If I were to choose between two jobs that had similar wages, I'd probably go for the one that would be most enjoyable, even if I would get paid a little less. Sure, it'll add up over time, but I'm just playing mental tricks on myself here.

Anyways, I'd choose money over a fun job, with a few exceptions. I mean, with the money, I can afford to pursue my hobbies and maybe even get a nice clarinet. (Ahoy there, Tosca, even though I probably shouldn't be going anywhere near you and your uberness.)

i love how a lot of people feel the need to make the two mutually exclusive. it's just a cheap shot that people use to put others who are superior (at least in earnings) to themselves down.

"oh look, there's that billionaire! i wish i had all that money"
"nah, you don't really, i bet deep down inside he's really unhappy"
"yeah, you're right. i'd much rather stick to my great job stacking shelves in shittymart"
"wanna go out tonight?"
"sorry, can't. i'm working the nightshift. gotta save up so i can afford those new curtains"

Gotta go with happiness at a job for me. After I graduate with my bachelor's degree I'm going to have to spend 4-6 years working on a PhD followed by a bit of time as a postdoc. Hoping to get a job as a professor shortly after that, though I could probably get equivalent pay (as well as shorter hours during a working day) working for a company such as Intel or Lockheed right after I finish my undergrad.

Also, sass, if you work at a smaller company you're more likely to get to do what you want to work on than at a larger company. Small companies are generally very focused in a specific market, and if you're working at a company whose interests overlap with your own then you're pretty set. At a large company they have loads of projects going on, only one or two of which you'll probably get to be a part of at any given time.

Agree. But do the benefits and pay always match the happiness level?

You know what I am saying? I mean, chances are, you'll be happier. But it being a smaller company, you'll probably have to do without the enormous pay and the excellent benefits that a place like LANL or something could offer, you know?

Maybe you could enlighten me a little. I never really talk to these guys about if they're happy or not. ^_^

Sometimes small companies can actually pay pretty decently. They can only hire a few people, so they usually want to get the best talent they can get, and sometimes they're willing to offer the bit of extra money in order to get the talent. Small companies also tend to treat employees pretty well since it's much harder on them if an employee were to leave for another place than if Boeing were to lose one of their lower lab workers.

From what I've heard from my professors that worked at LANL (two or three at that one in particular) it's not a bad job by any means, but the lack of strong motivation can get frustrating at times. National labs have pretty constant funding, so they don't have nearly the problem that researchers in companies and universities do of having to consistently come up with results.

Meh. I'm going for both the money and the happiness. I've secured one job that's really stable and will pay very well, and I know I'll be happy with what I'm doing. Not only that, I'd be happy with my situation outside of work too (i.e. location and stuff). Another job that's in the works would leave me doing cooler engineering work (which I would be even happier with) and pay me more (which is like, double the happiness). So all in all, I just have to find something I want to do, because I'll be making a lot of money anyway.

Then there's the whole technology start-up venture I'll be doing on the side, and since I'm doing it with friends, it's gonna be pretty fun at least. And if we do all our homework, the gains will be enormous.

I'd prefer - Enjoying your work, despite whatever pay you make. But on the other hand I always had enough money so I wouldn't know any better, anyhow.

I seriously doubt if I could work, for a long period of time, doing something that I dislike. I don't honestly care about money that much, and I would much prefer doing something I love, just for the love of it, not for the money.

On the other hand money is important if you do not have enough of it.:lolsign:

Of course, I would want both money and happiness, but overall, happiness is more important to me. I don't want to spend most of my life doing something I hate just for money. Earning more money would allow me to buy better things, but I'll still feel miserable going back to a nice home after a horrible day at work. And while at home, I'll be dreading the next day of work ahead of me.

My family always tells me. Suffer first, enjoy later.

So, money money money. It's all about the money, although I try to get happiness at the same time.

Suffering first? You mean actually having to put in a good, hard day's work? Jesus. Is this how people really perceive work these days?

I don't know about you guys - maybe I am completely insane (?) - but I have rarely disliked any of my work. Every job has its downsides, but seriously, so long as I am being productive once and a while and I am carrying some kind of responsibility on my shoulders, I am happy.

I know I would never want to work a job where I felt like I was contributing absolutely nothing to a company. THATS the absolute worst, if you ask me. Or, when I can't observe my own work contributing to a greater cause. If it seems pointless, it usually is.

I have to admit, though. I kind of miss working with the public. I don't get enough of that as it is, and I always thought I was pretty good at solving peoples' problems. These days, I never get a chance to do this.

So I guess so long as I am both productive and I can see the fruits of my labor adding up to something, I am happy at a job. I can't see how "work" is automatically "suffering."

People should take a pride in what they do.

The surest way to grow to hate anything you enjoy is to make it your job. On the surface, it seems like money and happiness aren't mutually exclusive, but work is work no matter if it's something you like doing. The beauty of hobbies is that you can pick them up or leave off whenever you like. Work must be done whether you're in the mood or not, and over time this will lead you to start resenting even the most enjoyable of jobs.

It's entirely possible to tolerate your job, and not suffer significant stress from it, but I've never known anybody who said they liked their job and wasn't lying. Given the choice between work and play, nobody ever really chooses work. Me, I say take the money. It's important to find a job that won't wear you into the ground, but since there's no way you can truly be happy working, best to make enough money to make yourself happy later.

Well, there's a difference between your countries' culture and the culture in mine. People here look at financial and career performance over happiness, and parents often want their children to be some 'well-paid' professionals.

It boils down to people's perception and 'status', and as a child, I'm quite forced to put up with such pressure.

True, I agree that people should take pride in their work, but over here, the parents ultimately decide what field of studies their children take, and as such the child is indirectly 'forced' to do whatever their parents choose for them, as such, these people enter into a work not because they like it, it's because they were forced to.

Albeit I managed to negotiate with my parents to give me some leeway and let me choose my own course, still I know they will expect me to get a career that gives a good impression to others.

With the "suffer first" notion, it could've also referred to putting up with the banes of school/college/etc (education, getting the grades, working hard in school... "suffering"). And then ideally after all this "suffering," you are rewarded with the job/career you love.

Except he was indeed talking about suffering through the job. I see where you're coming from with that. I know parents who push their kids to be doctors, make them do pre-med in college (or engineering nowadays). Eventually the kid finally figure what it is he or she really wants to do, a conflict ensues, and finally the parents let the kid do as he pleases. Later, both are happy with whatever the kid has done, as long as he didn't drop out or something.

As long as I am enjoying my work, I am willing to continue moving up the ladder. Once I hit that point of tedius > enjoyment, I will stop or move on to new experiences. Why work when you don't enjoy it? If your doing that, what reason is there to go to work?

So you can afford to do the things that you do enjoy. At least, that's why I choose to take a supervisor position that causes me to work an extra 5 hours per week. That's also why I chose to go to college even though it's not exactly the funnest place on Earth. I could quit and try to become a director or an author, but I can't afford the equipment I need for directing and even the more successful authors only receive 8-20% of what the books sell for.

I understand exactly about where you're going with working at a place you enjoy and moving up the ladder of success, but to have financial security along the way is very tempting as well.

I'd stick with more pay. Sure, it'd be rough. But Work is called Work for a reason.

Kind of a broad way to look at it, but I enjoy any job where I can acquire new skills. I had one a few years back that involved being an Undergrad Technician for some air-particle machinery. I didn't enjoy the subject matter and the tinkering got repetetive, but I'll be damned if I didn't learn how to use and name most average tools, connectors, and parts as a result of it. Plus, the pay was quite nice ($8.50/hr).

I'd like to believe that if you work hard, you will get far in life.

So I'd choose happiness. Choosing a tedious job that pays well, the chances of your longevity and success in that field is low. Besides all that mental anguish isn't worth any amount of money someone can give me. Enjoying what you do will increase your success in that field, which will inevitably lead to more money. Perhaps not crazy money but every field as positions and places that pay very well to live well beyond comfortable.

Yes even garbage men and janitors. There are mangement positions available and if you start your own janitorial company and it's successful, there is money out there to be had.

As someone studying for the next four years to become qualified for a notoriously underpaid job I seem to be choosing happiness by default.

I was raised in a household where you were taught to do "what you have to do" before you do "what you want to do". I'm a college student very much in a conundrum because that belief has been beaten into my brain. Should I work towards a job with security, steady pay, benefits and the like; or should I work towards that far out something that I truly desire to do?

At the current time, I guess I'm leaning towards the former. It's not like I truly hate what I'm going for, but I'm not too psyched about it, either. At this point, enjoyment of my job seems like it'd be a bonus, not a necessity.

Well my dad insists on the money part, very insistent I might add that he thinks other courses I might end up taking are worthless and therefore undeserving of his time and support.

So I'd rather a balance money and happiness thanks.

Maybe some people just believe that money can bring them happiness and maybe it does. Who is to say wither it is more important to make less money and do things to make you happy rather than make more money and have less time but are happy because of the money? It may be illogical to believe but sometimes money cannot buy happiness but it can provide a pretty good substitute for happiness when someone is holding it.

I have a Master's Degree. I cannot even get an interview in my field for a job in my field that only requires just a Bachelor's or even a High School diploma. (In my field, the main employer used to be the largest employer in the country, before Wal-Mart, so you would think it wouldn't be that hard to land an interview.) I chose a path that I thought would be low-paying yet rewarding. I worked my ass off for 19 years of school and have nothing to show for it. Now, I get all of the low pay and none of the rewards. Being able to choose between $ or happiness is a f'in luxury...

Go for the $ kids - with $ you can just buy the place where you'd like to work and then work there...

This is where doing things in the right order is important. When you have no one depending on you except yourself, it's much easier to quit a job that you're unsatisfied with. But for those of you saying that if you ever get to the point where you hate your job you'll just quit, I say that's pretty unrealistic. Because by the time you're 30-ish, you're most likely going to have a family that depends on you and you're not going to be able to just up and quit your job because you don't like it anymore.

If you're young and single with no kids and you hate your job, NOW is the time to get out of it. Do something you love now while you still can and forget about making tons of money. You'll have the rest of your life to do that.

Yea, i agree with this. It is considerably harder to quit a job when someone relies on that job like a family rather than a teenager quiting a job at a super market kinda thing. i also advise the idea of finding a sutible carrer before it is too late, better waking up to a job you like than one you don't like but cannot quit...

Happiness is definitely an important aspect of whatever my future career will be, but I'll be honest and say that my income is MORE important. Of course, I can't find myself waking up every morning and finding the inspiration to go to a job that I couldn't stand working at. I won't make the mistake of living that much of my life in regret, wishing I could have done more with my life, wishing I could have made more of an impact on society. Don't see working in a warehouse doing menial labor for the rest of my life.

That being said, if I had to choose between being completely satisfied and going for whatever my dream job might be, or going to a job where I'd be less happy, but make a lot more money, I'd decide on the latter without so much as a second thought. Some have already stated that money equals happiness, and while I won't say that's true entirely, having a nice ("comfortable") income will definitely make me proud of the job I'm doing being a provider for my family. To me, working hard to give my future family what they want, and being able to live life without any worry of finances is a very happy thought, and that's where I'd like to be in life. However, my family's wishes would be important too. Finding that balance between work and personal time is important, but it's never been easy.

However, is it entirely impossible to find your dream job, AND get paid handsomely on top of that? That's not a rhetorical question; maybe it can't happen with some people. That's what I thought I was going for when I decided to become a materials science engineer, but I soon realized that qualification doesn't equal happiness. Again, I'm trying this approach with becoming a doctor, but I might quit that after getting a reality check from a different university. I'll do what I can not to end up in a career I hate, but I might have to settle on something I don't love so that I can make the kind of money I want to.

Money is of very little importance to me as I ascribe to the idea that as long as you have a roof over your head, plenty to eat, and people that love you you're set. So honestly as long as we can eat well and pay the bills I'm good. What's the point grinding yourself into a wreck to get money that you can't even enjoy because what you do brings you down so much? Besides people can live well on a lot less than you'd think if you run things correctly.

McJobdom is what I was afraid of. Due to lack of jobs a lot of people--even those with Doctorates--are having trouble finding jobs within their major. You are definitely not alone in being unable to find a job in larger fields.

It is possible, but it takes a lot of luck, skill, and connections to pull it off. If you can use nepotism or favors to your advantage, then it's more likely.

Why not both? I think it's quite possible to acquire both. Though reaching that goal may require some hard work.

What exactly are people's "dream jobs"? Is it getting paid for doing nothing? I think that's just being unrealistic and stupid. My dream job is to play video games all day and make lots of money! Though it is somewhat possible, gold farmers etc, it's quite unrealistic.

I think it's ultimately up to the person. The work force is HUGE. There's always going to be a job that you will enjoy and get paid well. However, it might require higher levels of education, in most cases.

Actually a friend and I were talking about this the other day. The situation is that I finally get offered a job that pays only decent and I want to move out, but I am currently in the middle of a recruiting process for a job that pays really good.

I am taking the job I am being offered, but if that other job comes a knocking, do I quit and go after that job even if its only been 2 months into the other one?

I think that if I like the current one than i am going to stick with it despite the huge amount of money i would be getting from the other job.

With many jobs, hard work and connections (with a degree) is mainly what people need. However, there are quite a few people who say "All I know how to do is act, I have to be an actress," or "I want to be a drummer in the hottest rock band in the world." The work force is huge, but the thing is, it's huge in the kinds of jobs that people don't want (fast food, factories, etc.) and it is very limited in the jobs that many people do want.

Granted, if your dream job is an engineer or a gaming designer, there's a safe bet that you'll be able to find a job with good pay. However, most of the time you have to choose between working at a boring office job with good pay/benefits, or go for the wilder dreams and end up playing guitar in a mariachi band for a Spanish restaurant.

Even with the retiring baby-boomers, McJobdom is still in full-swing. For every J.K. Rowling and Brad Pitt, there are tens of thousands of people who end up penniless and undiscovered like Emily Dickenson and Van Gough (unlike Dickenson and Van Gough, these people are rarely ever discovered). I do agree that hard work is the main ingredient to achieving both, and that achieving both is possible, but chances are most people will have to make the choice...unless they can settle.

That is so true! People think they "need" state of the art cell phones, satellite TV and designer shoes, but those things are just extras. The "keeping up with the Joneses" attitude is why everyone has kids they don't see, mortgages they can't afford and credit card debt that they will most likely never pay off.

Money really isn't that important to me at all... from what I've heard, an excess of it can really screw you up.

And it's a good thing I feel that way, because all the things I enjoy and am good at will bring me NO money in the long run...

You work for money to achieve self-satisfaction, you work for happiness for the same thing.

You just need enough of both, and you should be decently satisfied. Compare too much with others will only often frustrate yourself.

Happiness, definitely. What use is money if you're miserable?

Of course happiness comes first, at least in my case. But isn't it great when you can have both (happiness and money)? I mean, you love your job and you make a decent amount of cash each month... that's paradise! :rolleyes:

Fortunately that's what is happening to me. I'm studying to becoma an History teacher right now, and I'm getting nice job offers thanks to my contacts inside private high schools... talk about making $3,500.00 a month... and I haven't finished my college yet. :)

So, happiness and money can walk together down the same road... the road of life.

I don't think any career is going to offer an never-ending supply of happiness. All jobs face trails and tribulations. I like my job and I get paid well. Sure, I'd like to be a journalist, but realistically it doesn't pay the bills unless you hit it big and when you have a family, you keep the daydreams to just that. You can find a happy medium and be content with the end results, nothing is that black and white.

I'd have to agree on that. And since I already have enough money I'd prefer to be happy!

Happiness is defenitly more important then money. If you're taking a job that you're doing just to get money but you hate your job you have some issues.

I've always strived for both.

Ever since I was young my goal was always to be rich, but I still knew that wealth only comes through hard work. In my mind, a career should be a life-long teat and when retirement arrives it's a seamless transfer. Doing something you love should be the only motivation you need to strive for more. If you base your aspirations totally on money then you'll end up chasing a hollow dream!

So long as i'm happy doing what i'm doing, then that's all that matters.
Money is good to have, but happiness, a friendly environment and having a rewarding career is more important to me.

Whenever I hear the question, one thing enters my mind: The distinction between happiness and money themselves and the pursuit of those two things. Money does not make me happy but strangely enough, the pursuit of it does.

Let me try to explain: The reasons I make this distinction is that the pursuit is a process it involves decision-making, thinking and processing of information. I read somewhere that part of the reason money doesn’t make people happy is that we are actually pretty bad at estimating what actually makes us happy. Example: Someone wins the lottery, and moves to some remote beautiful mason. The problem the mason is so peaceful the guy start to feel lonely and isolated. This seemly logical decision horribly backfires into the guy’s face. I have discovered I have a similar problem only it happens when I go the happy route. Example: I may attend function x in the pursuit of material wealth but while there I met a group of people I can have a simulating conversing with, but when I decide to go to function y instead pursuing happiness, I find myself with a group of people who I find less interesting to converse with in addition to the reduced money.

So basically I keep material goods as my goal not because the material wealth itself makes me happy, but because I’ve learned the hard way I tend to make far better decisions when I set that as my goal. (My theory is that the measurability of material wealth gives me a better centering point then the abstract idea of happiness or maybe again, I’m just crazy). Now I do have to admit I’m probably the freak here in that I assume most people would pursue happiness and find wealth along the way while I’m the opposite. Anyway that my 2 cents.