Which is more important in choosing a career: salary or job happiness?
When choosing a career, there are many factors that influence your decision. Aside from the small concerns, such as whether the office will have a window or how far you will have to commute, the two main factors are salary and personal fulfillment. There are two schools of thought on this subject: the first says that it does not matter whether or not you are happy as long as you get a large pay check; the other is of the opinion that no amount of money compensates for unhappiness in the workplace.
Although not all situations will be as black and white, almost everyone will face a similar “fork in the road” in the career path. Take the road that leads to more money, or continue down the path to happiness; even if it means you struggle financially a bit along the way? If your job brings in a lot of money but does not fulfill your personal needs, you will get frustrated and won’t work to your capacity. On the other hand, with a job in which you can have fun, you will do everything you can for the job
Happiness may be subjective, but psychologists dived into this question to find us an answer. Here is what they have to say:
- We often tie happiness and money closely together, but that’s only true to a certain extent. But researchers also found something interesting: having no money (or a very low income) makes people miserable
- People tend to base their cost of living around the job they currently have (or live beyond their means). They get used to that paycheck and invest in that town home with the backyard rather than the one-bedroom condo. Why? Because they can afford it
- Your Core Values – These are your non-negotiables. It’s what you believe wholeheartedly in and really should be the guidelines for how you live your life
- Although high income might not bring on eternal happiness, it can buy a certain threshold of happiness. However, this information is only a part of the decision process. There are other factors to consider before you can choose
- Psychologists have come to find that liking your job will help you succeed. Although that might seem obvious, it should be the final question to answer in your decision. Do you love what you’re doing?
- Doing work, you love is energizing and creates a positive feedback loop that fuels productivity. Your passion for the work energizes you and vice versa, giving you more fuel to put towards success. Forget passion, passion is something that comes after the blood, sweat and tears. For some people, it might be easier to trick their brain into enjoying their work; especially if they’re keeping their eye on the prize
The questions of occupation and salary are closely related. It is true that money plays an important role in today’s society, but does wealth lead to happiness? Money is not the most important thing in life. An individual who chooses to pursue a job that pays more money rather than the career of their dreams will eventually become miserable and wish that they had explored their true career interests.