Decidering, Part 21

So, I was doing a great job making your decisions until law school finals came and then I started an internship and then I had to write three papers, a grand total of SEVENTY pages (one of which is still not finished and desperately needs five more pages--help! Anybody have an opinion on the Empire that ol' Shep Fairey built?).

Anyway. Point is: I have two more questions to answer and I am totally on it.

Dawn has a dilemma:

I've decided that I want to change career fields entirely, and am working on a plan to go back to grad school starting in Fall 2010. Between now and then, do I keep my much-hated and stressful job that comes with the nice paycheck? Or swap it for a significantly lower paying job that I'll enjoy much more and won't make me crazy?

My advice: NEVER keep a much-hated job that make you crazy if you have other options. And, believe me, there are always other options.

A common theme running through a lot of my decision-making is: do I keep doing this really sucky thing that I hate or do I go do this other thing that would make me so much happier?

Go do the thing that makes you happy. Go on, you can do it! It may not be the easiest road, but it will be worth it.

I might not have always had this answer. In fact, whoops! Would you look at that! Last year I instructed somebody to take the money! But, alas, I am older and (arguably) wiser now, and boy, have I seen some people who work ridiculously long hours and complain at ridiculously long length about how much they hate their ridiculously high paying jobs (oh, those pesky first world problems).

Thing is: if you have to choose between making money and making meaning in your life, make meaning. FOR PETE'S SAKE, make meaning.

Comments

[Leah]

the devil's advocate in my would like to point out that there is a limit to doing what you love. I'm currently doing what I love (working at a nature center teaching people about, well, nature). I'm an "intern," so I make $800 + housing a month, despite having a master's degree. And you're apparently expected to intern for 2 or 3 YEARS before moving on in the field. I'm giving this one or two more years (maybe) before I jump ship and look at something I still love that is slightly more lucrative. Say, teaching. Maybe after the recession and after people stop cutting teaching jobs.

but, yes, I say Dawn should take the job she'd like more . . . IF it can provide for her needs and help her make ends meet. If she won't be able to make ends meet in the new job, then she'll end up bitter about it anyway. If she doesn't have a current new job pending, maybe it'd be good to work really hard on saving up a big(ger?) savings cushion at this well-paying job.

[Slice of Pink]

Leah, I totally agree! You have to pay your bills, right? All I am saying is that if you have choices (and there are always choices), take the road that makes you happier. There are a ton of differnt jobs in the world and if you have a job like Dawn's (much hated and crazy-making), I think finding something else is critical.