Vocation vs Fortune
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What would you choose? Your calling for happiness but little money or for less happiness but lots of money? Does the money make up for our lack of happiness?
I'm getting undue pressure to take a professional degree like Accountancy or Law, but I really want to study Liberal Arts. Some how it seems like there's no future in doind that, but what's the point in doing something that doesn't make you happy?
Can money really buy us happiness then? If not, then why do our peers put so much importance on a well-paying job and not a job that makes you happy?
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Well, one must be flexible with regard to life. Sometime one does not have much control over the course of life. So people must be satisfied with what they have. Otherwise at some point of your life, you will wish for happiness but in a few days later, you will wish for money. That is life!
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See Ya!
Lue Ya! -
Good question. We are always being warned against taking "unrealistic jobs with lousy pay" and to always take up jobs that are "practical and good-paying". Thats why there are so many courses that are on business, engineering, IT, but so pathetically few classes in arts or music. How does one choose between a "tried-&-proven-but-not-so-exciting" career path and a "unconventional-but-uncertain" route?
Of course, it would be a perfect world if everyone can do what they want in life and still get paid for it. Unfortunately this world is far from being perfect. We can't do many things that we want because there are so many restrictions and considerations around us. I would want to travel around and experience life in many countries but where am I going to get the financial support? Who is going to take care of my parents? Harsh reality often slams one down to earth .... hard.
However I still think that we shouldn't go through life moaning and groaning about what we CAN'T do, but rather we take pride in what we CAN do. it doesn't mean that we shouldn't do what we dream, but rather to tamper it with realism and come to some compromise. Life is short, do what you like, but think of the realistic constrictions and then mark out a path.
[This message has been edited by SeCrEts (edited 20 April 2000).] -
I think there are many singaporeans who have taken the conventional 'high-paying' route and landed themselves jobs with fat pay packet. However their lifestyles demands make them cash poor... so... (taking into acct happiness & money are directionally inproportionate) they are unhappy and poor. (A lot of Singaporeans are actually cash-poor - by choice. Look at the loans and all... can you live without these material luxury?)
First, what is the bare minimum you require? whatever's excess is actually 'personal profit' in a way. As a student, (excluding rent) $200-300 could last 1 month.
Second, when old folks say, you cannot eat happiness ~ there is a grain of truth in it. However, are you will to give up tons of $$ to pursue your heart's desire?
Third, what are your priorities? Is anyone dependent on you for income, even in the future? Is your income only going to support yourself? in other words, what's your liability status?
Recently watched on Arts Central an interview with Beatrice Chia, and I must say she is a brave woman. They interviewed her along these lines, "why do you want to be an actress?" She replied," Why do I want to choose poverty?..." However, it is her heart that leads her path, and she has decided to choose that path not taken.
But then again, not everything is dependent on academic majors. Training in school doesn't necessary provide the foundation you require for your career for your next 50 years. It's your choice ultimately.
Don't allow other people to impose their expectations on you. When it's their expectations, it's their disappointment. (but very important to fulfill your duty as a daughter.) I know of some who have high paying jobs yet they do not give their parents enough $$.
Are you able to cope with people's comparisons? It involves tons of humble pie (or plain heckcare) and good if you're able to forsake all and pursue your passion (provided Liberal Arts is your passion).
Live each day as if it were your last.
Lastly, prayer does wonders.
[This message has been edited by Ixion (edited 20 April 2000).] -
If we live each day like it is our last, we will not plan for the future...
Younger Singaporeans are too sheltered and pampered to understand the unforgiving nature of life. Rarely does the world give second chances, but we here gets lots of 'insurance' from our parents and the government.
Doing the liberal arts is fine, but first you must be able to take care of your own survival. The rest is up to you to figure out. -
Well, it's kinda naive to put happiness and money in exclusive terms. To some extent, money does buy happiness. I mean how happy can you be if you have to constantly worry about what to eat tomorrow, where to live next week, next month. It's the extreme case but it does happen.
Moreover, how do you tell whether those people with high-paying jobs are happy or not? There is equal chance for them to be happy or unhappy, don't you think so? Just because those jobs are not your cup of tea doesn't mean everyone dislikes them as well.
Ideally, we can just follow our dreams and desires in life or in short just do whatever that make us happy. However, life is far from ideal. We need food, shelters, and millions of other things that ensure a comfortable life. It is very tempting to say to hell with money, happiness is much more worthwhile when we already have comfortable lives. What if we have to struggle for survival everyday, would we still think in the same manner? I believe some people do and I really admire them coz they are willing to stand by their dreams and their idea of happiness even to the extent to living a rough life so to speak. But how many of those are there in this world? The more common case is those who balance the so-called happiness with financial stability.
So rae, those people who suggest (albeit a tad too strongly) that you do accounting instead of liberal arts may have your best interest at heart. They want to see you have a guaranteed future so to speak. Don't be too harsh on them or judge them just because they are being practical, will you?
At the end of the day, it's still your life so it's your choice to make. If you can live with the consequences then why not pursue your idea of happiness? After all, life is full of surprises, you'll never know what tomorrow will bring. -
It sounds like your dilemma is based on 2 factors: Happiness and Money. The combination of which results in the following 4 situations:
1. Happy doing what you do, and making good money from it.
2. Happy doing what you do, but not making good money.
3. Unhappy doing what you do, but making good money from it.
4. Unhappy doing what you do, and not making good money from it.
Clearly (4) would be the least desirable situation and (1) would be the most desirable situation. You sound resigned to the fact that you are only faced with (2) and (3).
What you have to realize is that regardless of your choice of disciplines, these 4 situations always exist. Granted, the probability distribution of these 4 are not equal for all disciplines which is why people concede that it is easier to succeed in certain disciplines than others.
You should also realize despite the higher probability of success in some careers more than others, the probability of failure still exist. Which is why you should never back the guy at a casino who tells you "If you did Accountancy/Law/etc you're sure to make lots of money and live happily ever after!" or "If you did Liberal Arts/etc, you're sure to be poor and unhappy!"
The only sure things in life are Death and Taxes. Anything else is subject to the laws of probability. What you can do is manipulate the odds through choices, effort and luck. Work smart in addition to working hard!
I do suggest that whatever you decide to do, make sure that you always have options. Even at this point, it's hard for anyone to know for certain what they'll be doing a year from now, much less 5 or 10 years from now.
Liberal Arts in itself is not a career. It is a discipline that prepares you for a variety of career paths. It is not inferior to any other discipline. Neither is Accountancy/Law/etc superior to any other. The right combination of all disciplines results in the synergy that is success. Similarly, Singapore was not built on the backs of accountants, lawyers, doctors or engineers alone.
Decide what it is you can see yourself doing 10 years from now, then figure out what you need to do from now right up to that point to be able to get there successfully.
Life is not a routine; it is an experience. To take a quote from an outstanding movie from Peter Weir (Dead Poet's Society) - "Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary."
Be the best you can be in whatever you do, benefit from the wisdom of those who have gone before you... And as Mark Twain so aptly put it, "Above all else, to thy own self be true."
Good luck... you have your whole life ahead of you! -
tough one...money or happiness? well, there's no guarantee that u'll be happy even if u're loaded...but u are ensured of a comfortable lifetyle, and the superficial happiness and not having to worry about monetary matters that cloud most lives...ok if u choose happiness over wealth, sure u're happy, but i mean just HOW happy can u be if bills are at the back of your mind? then again, i'm only speculating,with no expeience to back anything up
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Originally posted by rae-lyn:What would you choose? Your calling for happiness but little money or for less happiness but lots of money? Does the money make up for our lack of happiness?
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Young children dont think about earning money, look at them, they are happy playing computer games, getting good food to eat, and dressing in nice clothes.
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Buying food for people is the best way to show that you like them.
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If you do not earn money through work, how are you going to buy food?
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Dear Rae-Lyn, pls think. Who do you want to share your happiness with?
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I'm getting undue pressure to take a professional degree like Accountancy or Law, but I really want to study Liberal Arts. Some how it seems like there's no future in doind that, but what's the point in doing something that doesn't make you happy?
Can money really buy us happiness then? If not, then why do our peers put so much importance on a well-paying job and not a job that makes you happy?