As a college student, there is nothing that saddens me more than to hear someone is pursuing a career solely because it “makes good money.”
When we were kids, we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up on pretty much a weekly basis. To some, the ideal job was a firefighter or teacher, and to others, it was a rock star or even the President. As we grew olde,r however, these aspirations changed. They became much more “practical.”
But why is this? Why is it OK that according to the Washington Post, only 13 percent of people worldwide actually enjoy going to work each day?
One answer could be that it’s just the world we live in now. With social media, it often seems as if everyone’s living an ideal life. Facebook statuses and photo albums showcase affluent lives, perfect vacations, great kids, and awesome marriages. In addition, no other time in history have we had such intimate access into the lives of the rich and famous, so it’s no wonder that the pressure to be successful is mounting.
However, despite common belief, this pursuit of money does not fall hand in hand with the pursuit of happiness. Endless hours in the library studying to be a doctor simply because the job comes with a hefty paycheck is not going to do anything but tire you and stress you out.
That being said, here are nine reasons why pursuing what you love will always trump the money trail.
1. Going to work won’t feel like "work."
Even though we don’t think about it, the jobs we are currently working towards will follow us late into our lives. If we go to a job every day for the rest of our lives that we think is a chore, eventually, it will become one. However, if what we’d rather be doing outside of work is the same as what we do on the job, we’re really getting paid to enjoy ourselves.
2. You won’t mind putting in extra time.
It’s no secret that work can sometimes demand much of our daily attention. If you’re excited about what you do, however, putting in the extra hours will seem like an exciting task, not an inconvenience.
3. You’ll be more passionate about your work.
Naturally, if you’re pursuing what you love, it’s going to be something you’re passionate about. Unlike a job where you’re simply moving from one assigned task to the next, you’ll care more about what you’re doing and who you’re working with.
4. You’ll have more motivation to achieve your goals.
If there’s anything more demotivating than not liking your job, it’s not liking your job for five days a week and 52 weeks a year. When each working day feels as similar and trying as the next, there’s no excitement for what’s to come. While money can be a pretty big motivator, waiting out each month in the anticipation of a paycheck will never outweigh the feeling of self-confidence and drive that comes from doing what you love.
5. You’ll feel happier about everything you accomplish.
When you’re doing a job you don’t like, tasks will seem as useless in the end as they do in the beginning. However, if your heart is in your work, each victory for the person or product will also be a personal victory for yourself. Money will eventually become the added bonus to what you are able to contribute to society.
6. You’ll be more creative and will come up with better ideas.
The difference between people who work to make a living and those who work to make a life usually lies in what they do after clocking out. Typically, if you love your job, you’ll be thinking about ways to improve even outside of the office. Everyday life will offer subtle reminders of what it is you’re working towards, and new ideas will help you get ahead faster.
7. You’ll have a healthier home and social life.
Have you ever had a bad day at school only to come home and start a stupid fight with a roommate or friend? Then to make things even worse, you accidentally burn your dinner, and realize you never went to the store to buy more toothpaste? Now imagine you having that bad day over and over again for majority of your adult life.
The truth is that it’s hard to leave “work” at work. Stressed and unhappy feelings tend to follow us around even when we try and put them behind us; but if we spend our days doing something that makes us happy and satisfied, odds are we’ll act in a way that reflects that when we finally get home for the day. And, when we’re happy at home, we tend to care more about all the relationships in our lives a little bit more.
8. You'll be contributing to a better world.
While money is very important for life's necessities, people who are in love with what they do often feel more inclined to volunteer their services without a paycheck. Whether it's a vet offering free consultations to animals in need or a doctor traveling around the world to help in a poverty-stricken village, people doing what they love benefit not only themselves, but the world as a whole.
9. Life is never certain.
Personally, this is the biggest one for me, and I can’t stress it enough. As humans, we are only given one life. That’s one unknown period of time where we are continually given the choice to make the most of each day. Nothing is ever guaranteed. Understanding that, why would you choose to spend your life doing what doesn’t bring you the utmost happiness?
After all, bank accounts will always fluctuate, but the benefits of living a life you’re proud of will only get better with time.
