Do What You Love, Or Do What Pays?
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Do What You Love, Or Do What Pays?

Is money more valuable than happiness?

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Do What You Love, Or Do What Pays?
Candace Jones

Driving down I-66, I came across hundreds of cars speeding down the highway, and I thought, "Most of these people probably don't want to be at their job right now." I wondered how many people actually enjoy contributing to society while working their "desired" occupation. There's pros and cons to each side, but I would hope there's a happy medium of making money doing a job you're passionate about rather than dreading each day making some cash.

We often tie happiness and money closely together. When we have money, we're happy. When we make a low income, we're miserable. We conclude that high income buys life satisfaction but not happiness, and that low income is associated both with low life evaluation and low emotional well-being.

It depends how you view the situation, of course. Some people love putting in hours of mindless work to make decent money. Others have to work in order to just live paycheck to paycheck. Some who do have to work eight to ten hours a day end up enjoying it, and have a great attitude about it! Others don't enjoy it as much.

It all fluctuates depending on the individual. It takes time to work from the bottom with a job you're not crazy about to make money as you grow with the company. You might end up liking the job as you improve.

I'd rather have a job I'm passionate about and not make much because I value my own happiness higher than my overall income, but that's just me. I can understand from other viewpoints where making a high income does make a person happy no matter how enthusiastic he/she is about the job. As millennials, we have heard it a thousand times: the job market is tough, especially for us. You do what you have to do. If sticking it out in a less-than-desirable job means putting food on the table, you do that.

The issue of whether millennials should pursue their passion or find a stable job remains. However, maybe the two are not as contradictory as they are perceived to be.

Passion drives success. It comes down to how bad you want it and how motivated you are.

Do we have to choose? If you need to find a stable job to survive, make your passions your hobby. If your stable job is ruining your life, commit to living more simply so you can pursue your passions full-time.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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