In today’s very busy society, it can be very easy to get lost in the ‘world of money’. Before we go into more detail, this will be different for each and every one of our readers. For some of you – your current job will be just enough to pay your bills – and we absolutely respect this. For others, your current job may be able to afford you a few, or many, luxuries. And we also respect that.
However – what we’re talking about is why people do the things they do, for a living. Only a minority of the population can attest to feeling fulfilled by what they do – while others often feel they are chasing the dollars, without feeling absolute satisfaction.
Putting the dollars aside, here are 3 key notes on why you should not just chase money as your sole and only goal.
- The spiral of never earning enough
If you’re in a paid job, there will never be enough time in a day to earn maximum dollars. You may be well paid – and that’s all well and good. But if you’re trying to use a job to get paid more and more, and be one of the wealthiest people in the country – it isn’t the easiest goal. You are often against wealthy investors and business owners who have serious financial backing, and continue to use that financial backing. They are able to mobilise their teams to help them earn maximum dollar. What we’re saying is, it’s fine if you want to be well paid – but don’t set your goals from the perspective of comparing yourself to the country, or the world’s, wealthiest.
- The risk of being burdened by debt
Being in the race to have the largest home, the best car, the most expensive watch or whatever may be – is likely to lead in much accumulation of debt. If you’re not in debt right now, it’s likely you’ll want to receive the benefits of working ‘sooner’ – and one way to do that is to purchase these assets on finance, loans or mortgages. Raising debts to receive assets sooner like your home can make financial sense – however if you go down the path of continuous finance for example with motor vehicles, jewelry, holidays, and so forth – remember that at a later date, once the excitement has past for many of these, you’ll still be working hard to pay them back. Many people who go down this path say they start feeling as though they are treading water at times when chasing money. At the end of the day, your job is only a temporary solution for paying off your debt.
- Becoming a slave to money
It’s said that in the working world, 90% of employees will work in order just to make ends meet. To go with this comes with the fear of losing your job due to a restructure, and not being able to provide for your family one day – or a family you may have one day. Such worries and fears can be made twice as strong if you have financial obligations to go with it. With a more luxurious car comes increased maintenance bills. With a larger home comes larger rates and utilities bills. When you go to work everyday – do you want to feel that you’re chasing this endless cycle of needing more?
So What Should You Do Instead?
We’re not advocating one way or another for money – and whether it’s good or not – but it’s sensible to ensure that your job has some form of fulfillment. Good examples can be chasing your passion – for example if you love sharing knowledge with others, being a teacher, or taking up working as a trainer with in the company you work for now. If you love being creative – taking the first steps in working in more creative roles. What makes you tick? Is it creating? Is it being part of a project? Is it helping people? Is it being and feeling recognised?
What do I do if my current job doesn’t allow me to do what I love right now?
In short – you ‘ll probably find much happiness and joy in finding a job that does allow you to do what you love. For some of you, this might mean studying a course that allows you to formalize your knowledge and interest in an area – then finding a new job. Others may just need to put their hand up in their current company, and explain to their boss their longer term goals and ask if the company has such a role that you could receive training for, or train yourself for, eventually. train yourself for eventually. And if neither of these are options – another good idea is volunteering. What can you do apart from your main ‘day job’ that allows you to feel fulfilled? Perhaps volunteering with the local school, or a charity you truly love and support. Believe it or not, many of the ‘coin collectors’ for charities you see on the weekends are some of the country’s top paid employees. And it’s because it lets them do what they love.
