Why making a lot of money won’t necessarily make you happy

Why making a lot of money won’t necessarily make you happy A number that has been thrown around in recent years as the ideal salary to aim for is $75,000. Economist  Angus Deaton and psychologist  Daniel Kahneman performed a study in 2010 where they determined that it doesn’t matter now much more than this magic salary number you earn- your happiness and satisfaction levels won’t noticeably increase. Why wouldn’t earning in the six figures make life absolutely fulfilling? Well, it turns out: money isn’t everything. There are plenty of other factors that affect your life satisfaction in any given job.Here are a few reasons why salary doesn’t necessarily correlate with happiness.Career success doesn’t always mean more money.Very often what makes a person happy is the ability to do what they do well and to gain influence, recognition, and job security. Success can mean rising to manage teams or organizations, making an impact, feeling valued in a crucial role for a company, or just knowing that the future is stable. None of these happiness factors necessarily require a high salary.Experiences matter.It’s not all about earning and spending, either. Sometimes job satisfaction results from meeting daily challenges head on, or simply trying and learning new things. Jobs that are not satisfying beyond pay day will leave people who crave these more elusive factors feeling empty. Though money can help you buy things in your free time, you won’t be able to enjoy those things without any free time. A career with a punishing schedule certainly won’t allow you the time for many of the experiences outside of the office that constitute a fulfilling life.People often make the job.If you thrive on collaborative environments, client-based work, or sales teams, then a job that lacks human interaction can leave you feeling isolated no matter how much it pays. Interacting with other humans is one of those crucial things that help us to feel human, though some people require this more than others.You have to do what suits you.Similarly, if you’re a traditional person, you won’t be happy in a well paying gig that thrives on innovation and busting up the status quo. If you’re into science, tech, or data- hard facts and numbers- you won’t do well in a creative gig. If you require the freedom to be creative, you should not languish in a job that requires stifling your most genius ideas.You might thrive on doing good, not making more.If you’re an altruistic sort who really needs to make a positive difference in the world, you’d probably hate a high-power, high-paying job that doesn’t serve anything but a few corporate interests and your bank account. A job that allows you to make the world a better place will be infinitely more fulfilling than one that simply earns you a higher salary.Oversatisfaction isn’t all that great.If you deny yourself nothing and give yourself all the best of everything all the time- the best food, the finest clothes, the biggest house, the nicest travel perks, the fanciest car- then you’ll lose touch with the simpler pleasures in life. Stuff, especially nice stuff, can be a powerful addiction. But it won’t necessarily make your life a happier one. Being realistic about what is really valuable to you will help you choose the career that best suits you.Constant chasing isn’t fun.On a similar note, if your days are just spent trying to make more to be able to afford this or that,  chances are you will feel empty in the long run. Ask yourself this tough question: When will you be done and able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor? If the answer is something close to â€Å"never,† it might be time to consider a career change, even if you haven’t reached your goal yet. After all, pie-in-the-sky goals will never improve your life if you are miserable during the long process of fulfilling them. Be happy now in a care er that truly satisfies you.

Are You Polarizing

Are You Polarizing This is one of my most important messages.   One of the many reasons I left my day job was stress. Many of you have done the same or are in the process of finding ways to leave the lifestyle that makes your world less palatable. I worked for the federal government, and my job entailed balancing the wishes of my politician boss, the needs of the public, and the competition of my peers. Add family to the mix, and it made for some sleepless nights and tight-chested days. I left that life to write, and it was one of the best decisions of my existence. Then I read an article in the latest Psychology Today (love that magazine) about how polarization saddens us and, if we do not control it, can make our lives toxic. But humans like to congregate. They evolved from packs. And we interact accordingly. So when the world looks safe, mammals happily fan out to find resources to meet their needs. When threats are perceived, mammals retreat to the safety of social alliances.   The problem these days is that we belong to multiple groups. We are writers. Thats one group. Many of us relate to one political party or the other. We often claim a religion or relate to our gender or sexual orientation. We are foodies, animal rights advocates, and home-schooling parents. All of us belong to several groups, but not all groups believe in each other a hundred percent. We have allies and contrarians even within the groups we align with. When my life gets too hectic, I feel it in my chest. I toss and turn and have nightmares, some nights am grateful for three hours of rest. I try to avoid items and people that cause me stress. Its not a weakness. I deem it a strength to be in control of my life. I fight for that  lifestyle, and anyone who has visited me can feel it in all Ive created. But there are some who choose to be more aggressive in one or two aspects of their lives. That does not mean they are right or wrongor that you are right or wrongor that I am all right or wrong. Choosing to be aggressive not to be confused with passionate about an issue or group, and infusing it into your writing world, will cause others to choose sides . . . and possibly avoid you. They retreat into the group they feel most comfortable with. As an author, you choose whether you want your lifes choices to walk alongside your writing, because to do so is choosing to alienate groups (or packs) of readers who feel differently. And not everyone is going to agree with the non-writer side of you. Sure, its noble to have causes. Others, however, may feel just as noble in their causes. Why do you have to clash if your unity is, say, mystery fiction? Why do we only have to relate to those who match us group for group? Ive supported one particular author for several years. Love her writing style. Back during the election, I got bombarded Months later, she won an award for her novel. She messaged me, and I rejoiced with her! Wonderful, I said. You deserve it. But why did you unfriend me on Facebook? And we held a very civil discourse about politics. I rather enjoyed it. We were on opposite ends of the spectrum, but nobody got angry. We agreed that we would not be Facebook friends because shes chosen these days to lead with politics over her writing, and I didnt want it spilling into my world. We agreed to disagree. Quite amicably. And we still support each others books. Not everyone will agree with you. And please, do not demand people agree with you. Let life run through you, not stop at your outstretched, palm up hand. You dont have to agree. You might better understand