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28 Salary vs. Job Happiness: The 3 Pros and

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Katie McBeth Career Advice Health & Balance Money No comments

Its a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Youre working at a job you love. You dont make a whole lot of money now, but youre able t
day, a man approaches you. He tells you that he was impressed by your friendliness and he
you a job at his business. He works in another city, but the potential with this position is as
Suddenly you could be making double your current salary, and theres a lot more room for g
new job.

Do you take it?

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Do you take it?

Although not all situations will be as black and white as the one painted above, almost every
similar fork in the road in the career path. Take the road that leads to more money, or con
the path to happiness; even if it means you struggle financially a bit along the way?

Happiness may be subjective, but psychologists dived into this question to find us an answ
what they have to say.

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Salary vs. Job Happiness: The 3 Pros and Cons

1. The Price of Happiness

We often tie happiness and money closely together, but thats only true to a certain extent.
collected by the National Academy of Sciences was able to break down where the connectio
between income and overall life satisfaction. They concluded: Emotional well-being also ris
income, but there is no further progress beyond an annual income of ~$75,000. So, about
consider an average middle-class income.

But researchers also found something interesting: having no money (or a very low income)
people miserable. Low income exacerbates the emotional pain associated with such misfo
divorce, ill health, and being alone. We conclude that high income buys life satisfaction but
happinessand that low income is associated both with low life evaluation and low emotiona

Although high income might not bring on eternal happiness, it can buy a certain threshold o
However, this information is only a part of the decision process. There are other factors to c
before you can choose.

[RELATED: 5 Money Mindsets You Need For Career Success]

2. The Options and the Consequences

As remarked on many messaging forums (such as this Quora thread) there are many facto
when presented with the opportunity to choose income over happiness.

For one, do you have a family? Choosing a higher paying job might mean less time spent wi
but more money to save up for their future. Or are you a post-college graduate with no ties
current city? Then choosing the higher paying job might be the opportunity you need to sta
those debts faster, for now.

Of course, personal situations are not the only limitation to consider. Your personal desires
also important. A study by the National Academy of Sciences, and furthered in an article by
Times, noted that personal desire to succeed or be happy is also vital to the decision proces

To gain some perspective on this issue, the NYT interviewed Professor Kaufman, a Nobel
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7/31/2017 Salary vs. Job Happiness: The 3 Pros and Cons - Classy Career Girl

To gain some perspective on this issue, the NYT interviewed Professor Kaufman, a Nobel lau
economics. He says: Wanting money is not a recipe for disaster, but wanting money and n
thats a good recipe for disaster. He continued by pointing out: People who want to bec
performing artists are likely to be unhappybecause most will fail [] Becoming a wealthy ro
common dream when you are young, but when you are in college, you should try to take a lo
view.

For millennials, this is an all too common reality. Doing what you enjoy in terms of a degree
you up for a slow start. On average, people that earn abachelor of arts or humanitys degree
likely to move out of their parents home after college. Many of them struggle to find work i
economy that favors mathematicians and business majors. However, once they find their fo
market that embraces their talents and interests, many of them can far exceed expectation

And this is where the twist lies: often times doing what you love means you will be more suc
the road.

3. The Tortoise and the Hare

Psychologists have come to find that liking your job will help you succeed. Although that m
obvious, it should be the final question to answer in your decision. Do you love what youre

The University of Southern Californias Applied Psychology program highlights the importan
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The University of Southern Californias Applied Psychology program highlights the importan
your job and what it does for your overall success: being able to enjoy your work is the mai
getting into a state of flow. Flow [is the] experience you have when you are in the zone. [
that every time you view a task negatively, this mindset is already making it harder for you t
your work. Doing work you love is energizing and creates a positive feedback loop that fuels
Your passion for the work energizes you and vice versa, giving you more fuel to put towards

For some people, it might be easier to trick their brain into enjoying their work; especially if
keeping their eye on the prize (aka paycheck).

However, if you dont have a genuine interest in the work youre doing, then it may be impos
actually do any of your work. In which case, climbing the ladder, getting raises, and building
knowledge might be increasingly more difficult the longer you stay with that job.

In this way, it would be best to continue doing what you love. Over time, you will eventually
make your way up to a leadership positionor are more likely to receive raises and bonuses.
the same story as the tortoise and the hare: slow work and determination will help you reac
line faster. Over time, you will succeed.

Author David Pink seconds this idea. In his book Drive: The Surprising Truth of What Motiva
builds on the importance of succeeding through job happiness. [T]he secret to high perfor
satisfaction-at work, at school, and at homeis the deeply human need to direct our own li
and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.

People tend to flourish when they are doing things they enjoy or jobs they feel build on their
This reflects in the business world, as well, where happy employees lead to more profitable a
growing businesses.

If this is the case for you, and you truly enjoy your work, then your best option might be the
fraught with financial difficulty; at least in the present. Although you might not be making t
salary now, you will be happier and more successful as time goes on.

If youre ever presented with the opportunity to pursue a higher paycheck or continue workin
company you love, let this information help inform your decision. Although theres no right
ensure happiness, choosing to work for the job you love might just be the surest path to tak

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About Latest Posts

Katie McBeth is a freelance writer out of Boise, ID, with experience in marketing for small busines
management. When shes not writing about millennials or small businesses, she spends her free
her dog Toby to herd her three annoying (but adorable) cats around her house. You can follow he
writing adventures on Instagram or Twitter: @ktmcbeth.

Katie McBeth

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About the Author

Katie McBeth
Katie McBeth is a freelance writer out of Boise, ID, with experience in marketing for small business
management. When shes not writing about millennials or small businesses, she spends her free ti
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7/31/2017 Salary vs. Job Happiness: The 3 Pros and Cons - Classy Career Girl

training her dog Toby to herd her three annoying (but adorable) cats around her house. You can follow her anim
writing adventures on Instagram or Twitter: @ktmcbeth.

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