Following your passion or following the money.

[caramelsub]

Do you think it’s better to follow your passion as a career, or follow the money? I find myself torn in pursuing a career, because in the field that I’m passionate about, generally doesn’t pay enough to make a living easily on it’s own. On the other hand the field that offers the higher pay, and status, and the opportunity to make a comfortable living, I find uninteresting and burnout quickly when doing jobs in that particular field. What would you choose? Are you passionate about your job and making a great living?

[+ Coolwave35]

Money. In my experience, money allows for many passionate experiences. I was lucky enough to find both though. 

[+ tassojunior]

I took the interesting work route and it became boring. Europeans get insulted when asked "what are you" as if one's line of employment defines someone. It's work. For money. 

[liubit]

I love my job and fortunately it pays enough to allow me to make a very very comfortable living. 

[Jamie21]

Follow your passion, it’s what you’re good at. You’ll find a way to monetise it. 
When I employ people I look for those with a passion for the work. Obviously they want the job because it pays but their primary reason for doing it must be their love of it. It’s easy to tell when someone has that.

Those people are successful in it, they see opportunities others don’t, they stand out, they make money.

When you look back on your life you want to say ‘no regrets’. If you don’t follow your passion can you truly say that? 

[TorontoDrew]

I never knew what I wanted to do so I took the first job I was offered after University.   I became bored quickly and got lucky with a move to IT.  I like it but have rarely been passionate about it but it has given me the wherewithal to do what I enjoy; travel and the occasional hire of a hot young man.

If you can monetize your passion good for you but not everyone can.

[TectonicThrust]

At the very least give your passion a shot. I wanted to be a writer all my life. After college I devoted 10 years to it. I made some money but it wasn’t a living. I decided it was time to grow up and go to law school as my dad had always told me to do. I went and I did it with the sole purpose of getting a job that pays well.  Turns out I loved law school. I did really well and ended up loving what I practice. And I make a good living doing it. Sometimes we don’t know what our passions are until we’ve tried different things. 

[Xavitv]

Can you do both? Maybe do one on a part time basis? I am going through the same dilemma and figuring out if I want to make more money or save the world. 

[+ MysticMenace]

22 hours ago, caramelsub said:

Do you think it’s better to follow your passion as a career, or follow the money? I find myself torn in pursuing a career, because in the field that I’m passionate about, generally doesn’t pay enough to make a living easily on it’s own. On the other hand the field that offers the higher pay, and status, and the opportunity to make a comfortable living, I find uninteresting and burnout quickly when doing jobs in that particular field. What would you choose? Are you passionate about your job and making a great living?

it depends on the situation - this does not have to be mutually exclusive. some say you can monetize your passion, but alternatively, you can integrate your passion, if it makes sense, into your high-paying career.

as for me, my passion is singing... but I have a relatively well-paying corporate job. I carve out time everyday for me to sing - during lunch, during my drives to and from the office, and when my department has team-offsites, i would facilitate singing activities with my colleagues, like carpool karaoke.

I also know another employee in my organization that loves volunteerism and it's her passion, so while she works in information security, she leads all the volunteering initiatives in the office.

Edited April 1, 2023 by JoeMendoza

[Guest]

On 3/30/2023 at 8:56 PM, caramelsub said:

Do you think it’s better to follow your passion as a career, or follow the money? I find myself torn in pursuing a career, because in the field that I’m passionate about, generally doesn’t pay enough to make a living easily on it’s own. On the other hand the field that offers the higher pay, and status, and the opportunity to make a comfortable living, I find uninteresting and burnout quickly when doing jobs in that particular field. What would you choose? Are you passionate about your job and making a great living?

To answer your last question, yes, fortunately I was passionate about medicine. My passions include medicine, linguistics, geography, culture, exploration, and hiking. Fortunately one of those allows for a comfortable living. To give you the best advice, one would want to know a little more. I certainly wouldn't pick a job due to status (I'm very non-status conscious), but pay is important for one's overall comfort and sense of life satisfaction. Do you truly detest the field with the higher pay, or do you just prefer the other career more? Obviously, you don't want to spend 40+ hours a week for 35+ years doing something you hate, but is the other job at least tolerable to you? Do you have interests other than the career you're passionate over? I suppose that if there's nothing else that interests you, working in the lower-paying job might not be such a bad idea. However, higher pay will probably allow for more opportunities to pursue other interests. Consider also that retirement can constitute a major portion of your life. Is retiring at a younger age appealing? Also, would you have opportunities to be involved with your passion if you took on the more lucrative job?

Edited April 1, 2023 by Unicorn

[+ No Drama,just good company]

I only tell you what I found in my 40 years of working.  if you do somthing you love even though it may not pay good now, people will see your passion.  You will be giving oppertunites you could only dream of, I am 66 and doing somthing that I love and pays more than I could dreamed of, but I paid my dues, keep learnig and being myself.  

Speaking as an oldtimer that has seen this played out with freinds doind what you have a fire for or take the money now, hit the alarm clock for the rest of your working day with dread of another work day.

Good luck many blessings

[Rudynate]

If I had followed my passion, I would have been a professional chef.

Instead, I have had three separate careers- management with Westin Hotels, corporate research librarian in biotech and finally an IP attorney in Silicon Valley. I have really loved the intellectual challenge in practicing IP law.  No regrets.

 

 

[+ Pensant]

I can’t say I’ve ever really loved my work, although lucrative,q until I started my own company, which allowed me to retire early and indulge my passions for travel, working out, biking, reading and blogging and investing in a diverse portfolio of assets. I’m very happy and centered now, treasuring friends and family.

[+ sniper]

40+ years of wirking is a long time. It's enough time for 2 careers. Spend the first 20-25 establishing financial security then switch to what you're passionate about.

[+ sniper]

The harsh reality is it simply isn't true that you can just pick anything you like and if you just work hard enough, you'll be financially successful. The arts in particular are essentially a lottery. There are plenty of people in community theatres across the country who are just as good as anyone you see on Broadway or on your TV.

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, sniper said:

The harsh reality is it simply isn't true that you can just pick anything you like and if you just work hard enough, you'll be financially successful. The arts in particular are essentially a lottery. There are plenty of people in community theatres across the country who are just as good as anyone you see on Broadway or on your TV.

You're so right about that. Those who are lucky enough to achieve success, of course, will be quick to claim it was due to their hard work (as if the others aren't working hard), but, as you say, much of it is luck. In the past, it was also a matter of with whom you slept. And now it's "I got it all because of hard work and talent. But now I'm going to sue that producer I slept with 20 years ago in order to get into the business, since that sex had nothing to do with my success." 😉

[+ azdr0710]

there was a joke about the ski-lift operators at Jackson Hole all having doctorate degrees

[Simon Suraci]

Money is more important to me, because it offers freedom. I lucked out because I enjoy my second career as much as my first, and now I make a realistic living that is no longer essentially paycheck to paycheck. 

I’m an architect. I worked full time for a decade out of college. I started doing massage because I couldn’t afford some of the things I needed. Then that grew into a serious part time job. Now, many years later it’s my full time gig. I love my work in both fields, but my business exploded after moving to TX and I couldn’t manage both anymore. I make twice as much as my architecture job, and as of 2022 it payed decently. Not like a doctor or lawyer, even though architects go through all the same rigor of state licensing, long degrees, and a multiple year intern process. It’s unfortunate we are so underpaid relative to our value. I would probably stay in the field full time if I made more. Eventually I will go back to design work part time. For now, I’m investing my extra income in a farm, currently rehabbing a neglected avocado grove and expanding the operations. That will be a great supplement to carry through into retirement.

I’m passionate about architecture. Knew as a tween that’s what I wanted to do. And I did it. Determined which elite college I wanted to get into and studied my ass off, did not do sports or other activities to make sure I got good grades, took SAT prep courses, the works. I’m not particularly smart, but I am dedicated, hardworking, and focused. My extra curricular activity in high school was working at a civil engineering firm for a few hours after school each day running plans to building departments, printing / reprographics, delivering mail, etc. My dream school accepted me and I worked really hard for the next 5 years, actually 6 - I took an extra year because the engineering courses were so damn hard. The economy was awful during the Great Recession so I worked at a nonprofit and an engineering firm for a while until I found a job in my field.

[pubic_assistance]

I think you need to balance the two.

I remember when I was young, I said I wanted to be a painter. My parents told me: "We're not rich enough to sponsor a painter until he becomes famous...You need a JOB."

So then I decided for a while I wanted to be a landscape architect. But where I lived my high school career advisor told me there was no money to be made.

So instead I followed another passion that has made me some money, and invested that money to make more money.

So it was a matter of finding a middle ground for me on career. Investing wisely allows me to have a job I enjoy.

[caramelsub]

Thanks for all the helpful advice you guys. I know I was pretty vague, but just wanted not to disclose everything about myself. Yes my “passion” is in an artistic field, as some of you might have figured out. I work part time doing my craft, and it does pay my gas and help out with little things. But it’s not enough to survive and pay my rent alone. I don’t necessarily hate the other field, and I can make a lot more money, I just burn out quickly doing it. But I may just need to fake it until I make it.

[pubic_assistance]

14 hours ago, caramelsub said:

Thanks for all the helpful advice you guys. I know I was pretty vague, but just wanted not to disclose everything about myself. Yes my “passion” is in an artistic field, as some of you might have figured out. I work part time doing my craft, and it does pay my gas and help out with little things. But it’s not enough to survive and pay my rent alone. I don’t necessarily hate the other field, and I can make a lot more money, I just burn out quickly doing it. But I may just need to fake it until I make it.

Many of my friends are artists/ musicians and other creative people. We ALL had jobs to make the money that allowed us to pursue our passions.

Those who were most talented, eventually made a name for themselves and their art became their career.

But if you don't figure out a way to monetize your creative endeavor, then you need to find another source of income.

I chose to do a little of both, as a security blanket since my parents have no money to support me if I failed.

[Guest]

This man has a passion for music (and a Ph.D. in that field), and obviously has a lot of talent. Yet he still has an OnlyFans to supplement his income...

 

OnlyFans

ONLYFANS.COM

---

OnlyFans is the social platform revolutionizing creator and fan connections. The site is inclusive of artists and content creators from all genres and allows them to monetize...

 

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]