I have really bad anxiety and am currently working towards getting help for it. I’m starting high school this year (I know, I’m young and shouldn’t worry about this kinda thing already, but I’m obsessive and anxious, so bear with me, you fine upperclassmen) and I ended up getting really depressed over the thought of having to deal with all those people, and not knowing what I want to do with my life. My mother’s advice was something along the lines of “Do whatever makes you happy.”
So, is it better to pursue happiness than riches? Would a better life plan for people who want to become CEO at something they hate just for the pay be to do what they love to do, and make their money that way? Is putting in extra work to make money doing something that’s generally less lucrative than common jobs better for people overall?
Be happy. If staring at stuff in a microscope all day makes you ridiculously excited, do that as long as you can live off of your salary. If a job as a cell biologist pays $654,321 a year but you dread the idea, don’t do it. Your mental health comes first.
Edit, again: I just realized your username is a Gravity Falls reference. high five How about that ending?
It should be obvious that it’s best to pursue happiness. If you think a high powered job won’t get you there, then don’t get on that path.
Many people get confused. Deep down they know what makes them happy. But they also get caught up thinking that they really can’t be happy if they lack the socially accepted indicators of happiness: big house, fancy car, etc. If those two goals match, great! If they don’t match, it’s like living in hell.
Don’t live in hell. Pay the bills, yeah, but do what you like, even if it means you don’t get the fancy car. No one ever said, “I spend 12 hours a day doing stuff I hate, but my car looks hot, so I guess it’s OK.” After one year, maybe. But not after ten. Not when it counts.
But like I said. Pay the bills. Debt or poverty are also hell on earth.
It’s not one of the other. Many people have both.