Relating Happiness & Money
From short & long run perspectives
Short run (today — this month): Money > Happiness
If I paid you $10,000 to complete a miserable task that would take a few hours (clean up a dormitory’s bathrooms) would you take it?
Hell I would, and I bet many of you would too.
What happens if I’m willing to pay you the same amount to do it every day for a month?
I assume most would still go for it. What happens when its a year?
You see what I am getting at?
Long run (this year — forever): Money < Happiness
As stated above, there is a breaking point when an individual must focus on happiness more than cash. Yet I believe many of my peers still complete their daily work for the short term happiness that money brings.
Some will argue that it’s hard to get paid doing whatever it is they are passionate about, and I would agree with them.
It is hard and you will likely make significantly less money than a peer in the short term.
But who the fuck cares?
You go through the hardships of starting out in an industry to learn and grow over time so in five years you’ll be doing what you enjoy while making the income that you want. Rome wasn’t built in a day and I guarantee any meaningful career path won’t be either.
Who the fuck am I?
I recently moved across the country (from MA) with $300 in the bank to make my way in San Francisco. Taking any freelance projects I can get my hands on, sleeping on college roommates couches; all to to build up experience so that I can work in the field I enjoy. At the same time it puts myself in the best position for the next venture by always continuing to learn.
I make 1/5th the income I would if I went to work in a field I didn’t care about, yet I am happy. I am happy with where I am. Everyday I see personal improvement which reassures me that I’m headed in the exact direction I want to be in 20 years from now.
I encourage you all to take a moment to reflect and think, if what you are doing now helps you get to where you want to be in 20 years? If not, today is as good a day as any to change the trajectory of your life.
If I can help in anyway please email me at barnett.klane@me.com
