What is more important in life? Doing what you want or making money?

[pingdum]

Is it more important to make money or to do what you love to do in life? Even if it means making less then you want, or even no money at all.

 

[Gyre]

Sometimes money is important to doing what you want.

I'm taking a somewhat boring job in England because it gives me more money and access to Europe instead of a more interesting job in Chicago (where I've been before).

 

[70]

I'm working at a job I like, but I really want to write. So I am lucky, I do something I enjoy and it allows me the spare time to do what I love and I can get paid for both.

But hopefully, some day, I'll be able to do just what I love and do it for my job. Hopefully with a cool mag like GRM...

 

[GNsPR5]

I've always lived with the motto that you should enjoy your work and put your best effort into it, as opposed to working a job you hate but it makes better money. Happiness is better than wealth IMHO.

 

[Sir Nuke]

well the obvious is to make money doing what you love....the ideal situation....

but one that many people can not make a reality. unfortunately.

SO.....there ya go. As derrick said....no matter what you do...ALWAYS put forth a 100% effort.....do the best you can. and with a little luck, you will either have the extra time to do what you love....or make it affordable at least to dabble it in.

the thing you must be careful doing....is truning something you love to do into a job....I have seen that happen before.....and then it spoiled all the fun.

 

[FuNwaGoN]

Man that is a tough question and unfortunately one that I can answer from personal experience. I love to ski and was a mgr of a ski shop and a rep for a few companies. well I didn't make enough to really get by but at least the perks(deals on eqpt. were awesome) were good. Then also I am an artist and have tried to sell my work to support myself. Well the term starving artist comes up. Now I am a Business/logistics/pricing analyst that sits in a cube all day and punches keys. am I happy? No but it more than pays the bills. I still do my art on the side and am actually trying to get back into the ski biz but I think this proves that money is the answer. But rest assured I will always do what I love. meaning even if I was loaded and had a really high paying job I hated or hell even loved I would contiunue to do my art. The bills have to be paid one way or another but don't forget about the bill to your soul. I would hate to find myself 40 years from now having sold my soul for just a paycheck and never done anything that made me happy with my life. Hope some of you guys can understand that.

 

[Logan]

I like cars.
REALLY like cars.
If I could drive and tool around on cars all day, I would be SO happy.
But I work to pay for my car hobby, the job is OK, but it's paying for the new mazdaspeed and other fun things...

 

[blynzoo]

Obviously some of us dont have the luxury.
However probably one of the only things my dad said that I really took to heart was this:
"When you are young, you work to live. You work to pay your new bills, to pay off student loans, to eat, to get by. As you get older, you work because it is what you love to do. While not everyone does this, it should be your goal."

Now if you make 400 million dollars a year, you have enough cash to do whatever the hell you want regardless of whether you like the job or not. Most of us dont make it to that level, and so we must decide between the job that pays 30K where we cant wait to get to work, or the job that pays 40K where we dread the morning. I personally was happier as a cook in a diner making about 17K/year than I would be as a .....say marketing rep making 40K behind a desk. I can honestly say I would choose the cooking job.

 

[freekwonder]

which ever would let me take care of my family, and not have my son grow up like it did (struggling for a peice of bread) I would rather have a job i love with less pay. but if it hurts my family I will sacrifice and take a better paying job that is ok. like i am doing now. i HATE computers, but i work with them cause i make good money.

 

[pingdum]

which ever would let me take care of my family, and not have my son grow up like it did (struggling for a peice of bread) I would rather have a job i love with less pay. but if it hurts my family I will sacrifice and take a better paying job that is ok. like i am doing now. i HATE computers, but i work with them cause i make good money.

Here's the answer I most agree with. I spent the first half of my life as a Rock'n'Roll bum. Touring, living in my van, doing it just for the big three...Sex, Drugs and Rock'n'Roll. I barely made 3-5k most years. Now that I have a family I have a lot more to consider...dentists, karate lessons, school supplies, renting 3 bedrooms even though I only sleep in one. So I go back to the old adage: "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" so back to school for Graphix and Web design and maybe I can get a job working for my new love making web sites for Primedia or some such. But even then doing what I want will be the 2nd most important thing, as long as I can make a living as compared to getting rich.

 

[1sty]

Neither will do, If you do what you like but you go broke you sure as hell won't like it much any more and working for money is a boring ass existance. Need to find the happy medium.

 

[APEXistud]

Hey, sometimes you have to work a job that you really do not like to get where you want to be.

 

[1sty]

Hey, sometimes you have to work a job that you really do not like to get where you want to be.

Ahh, the last 3 years of my life sumerized.

 

[BlackMSP]

money money money!!!!??!??!?!

 

[APEXistud]

I do agree that money isn't everything. Living in Michigan for 2 years proved just that. A lot of the women there were actually interested in you even if you didn't make $70k a year. But, now that I'm living in San Jose, CA again, it's made me realize exactly how important money is. Usually people who say money isn't everything probably don't have any. hehe Not that I'm rich, but it's amazing how having more money gives you that ability to be completely financially stable and independant. If you're fortunate to live in area of the country that doesn't have an high cost of living, then yes, money isn't all that important and definately do what makes you happy. Those of us who live area that are expensive, usually end up having to compromise with what you love doing with making more money.

 

[BlackMSP]

told ya money wins.... in this day and age you NEED money. I wish communism would work =[ its such a "perfect" system in theory.

 

[1sty]

why so everyone would be poor and useless, nice perfection!