The answer is: do a little of
both!
Which
is More Important?
Holding a job that you enjoy and making enough
money to pay the bills and save for retirement
are both important parts of career planning. Overall,
most experts will tell you they are of equal importance,
but just as life varies over time, so too will
the balance between enjoyment and financial gain.
There will be times in your life where the money
side seems to carry more weight, such as when
you are saving for a house or raising a family.
Remember, though, that motivation, enjoyment and
fulfillment are not just intangible, bonus attributes
that only the lucky few get. You have the ability
to make a conscious choice to pursue a career
that suits your skills, motivations and personality.
The Importance
of Loving Your Job
For generations (probably including your parents'
generation) people entering the workforce had
no expectation that they would enjoy their job.
It just wasn't deemed important or practical,
so most people trudged to work each day for the
rest of their lives. As times changed, though,
more and more experts began to understand the
negative impact of spending a career doing something
you hate, and the idea that you should enjoy your
job became more accepted.
We now know that one of the most
powerful indicators of career success and personal
fulfillment is enjoying your career. This does
not mean that every day at work will be a barrel
of fun and full of laughter. On the contrary,
it means that if you do what you love you will
be more motivated to do it well, even during hard
and challenging times.
The Importance
of Paying The Bills
Financial stability forms the foundation for nearly
everything you want to do in your life. You need
it to buy a car, to buy a house, to support a
family, to save for retirement, to take a vacation,
and a million other things. If you pursue a career
that does not generate enough income for you to
pay your basic bills then you will always face
a struggle to live. Take note, though, that you
are responsible for making good financial choices
and living within your means. No matter how much
money you make, you cannot overspend or overextend
yourself and expect to have financial stability.
One of the best ways to remain
financially stable is to follow the rule that
if you can't pay cash for something then you can't
afford to buy it. Of course, there are exceptions
to this rule, like buying a car or a house, but
the explosion in availability of credit cards
means that it is more and more tempting to spend
money you do not have on clothes, eating out,
entertainment, and other activities or possessions.
There is nothing wrong with having a credit card
in case of an emergency, but be sure you define
"emergency" appropriately and do everything
in your power to pay off your credit card balance
each and every month.
How
to Strike a Balance
So now you understand and agree that it is equally
important to find a career that you enjoy and
that will be financially rewarding. How do you
turn that theoretical knowledge into real-world
practice? One of the easiest ways is to ask yourself
the following questions when considering a potential
career:
