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.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Fjordor

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

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by russ

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.

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. ^_^ )

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

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. ^_^

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Thanatos

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.

I was speaking idiomatically.