Salary vs. passion: Which would you work for?

A lot of people work just to earn a salary, while others take up a particular job because of the passion they have for it, even when the pay is poor. Money has been described as a powerful tool. So, does it make sense to remain in a job where one is completely miserable just to earn money or follow your passion while earning peanut?

Researchers found something interesting: having no money (or a very low income) makes people miserable. They also said that high income buys life satisfaction but not happiness and that low income is associated both with low life evaluation and low emotional well-being.

The same group of researchers however posited that doing what you enjoy or have a passion for might set people up for a slow start. However, once they find their footing in a market that embraces their talents and interests, many of them can far exceed expectations.

We often tie happiness and money closely together but psychologists say it is only true to a certain extent. So Lifextra asked people what they thought about working just to earn a living or working for the passion they have for the job.

Patience Steven, a Jos resident, says “Passion ke? Who has passion helped? Every correct human being on earth would like to work for salary so that in the end he or she can earn something to support himself, family or relatives.”

Kome Awaridhe Akande says “Passion indeed…Passion doesn’t put food on the table. I go for salary any day, any time. Passion can follow later.”

However, there were others who belonged to a different school of thought. One of them Jerry Doubles, a self-employed Jos resident, told LifeXtra “If you follow passion, money will chase you but if you follow money, you won’t be happy since it isn’t your passion.”

He added “Be happy in what you are doing no matter how insignificant it may seem. The world is drawn to you and the patronage comes. Isn’t that money falling on you?”

“But then if you go for the money/salary, which would of course be what you want, and then the job description doesn’t fit well with your passion, it means they aren’t aligned. Just be sure that you’ll be a frustrated rich man or woman, simple!”

Doubles went ahead to say there is never an amount of money that could buy peace of mind.

Concurring with Doubles, Chioma Rita Onyeador, a nurse, said she would go for a job because of her passion for it. She said “Have you realized that anything you have a passion for, you tend to do well in it and excellently too, so naturally everything will gravitate towards you and even nature will be at your beck and call.”

Onyeador added “If you follow money, it’s just a matter of time before you become tired and you productivity will reduce which eventually leads to an ineffective output.”