Career Change: Is it worth the money

[LuckyTaxi]

Hypothetically speaking let's say a career has potential to earn plenty of money as long as you work hard and be persistent. Is it worth it even though your passion is in another field. It's hard to be motivated to do something you don't like to do, but what if it makes you plenty of money.

My buddy is getting into the mortgage business, but i've been procrastinating. The money is there as long as you believe in yourself and work hard. Obviously you can't expect to get rich overnight, but eventually you'll make money. My passion is in the IT field and I love what I do. Even though the money sucks big time and the job market isn't so wonderful, I still like what I do. I can't imagine waking up to calling people and "pushing" paper for a living.

He on the other hand is tired of being poor and living pay check to paycheck. He sees me being lazy but i tell him it's because i'm not motivated in calling people and doing all this marketing stuff. Just like any job/field people will always hate or love what they do for a living.

He states as long as he's making money he's happy. but if you wake up in the morning knowing you're only doing it for the money, can you be happy? money isnt everything

 

[Descartes]

There are two types of motivation: extrinsic and instrinsic. The latter would be the pursuit of a career derived from your personal interest, and the former would be for financial gain. I find that I'm more an intrinsically motivated person, and no amount of compensation will keep me motivated enough to perform a job I do not enjoy. There are many people who are not this way, but you really need to give it some thought.

 

[Ferocious]

If I had kept my previous job, I'd be making about 1/3 more right now.

But I did not like it at all.....and changing was the best thing I ever did.

No contest for me.

 

[wyvrn]

I have to do something I enjoy. Period. I have walked away from two possible careers because of this. I don't like the empty feeling that you get when even though you did well, you don't feel satiated. Other people can treat their career just as a career and nothing else, though. And they get their satisfaction from activities outside the workplace. You need to define this for yourself.

 

[alkemyst]

both the mortgage industry and IT industry are vast...it really depends what you do in each to determine income potential.

I was in banking (buying and selling loans) and left to get my degree in Comp Sci. Now I am going to go back into banking and perhaps link the two. I did a lot of automation previously but keep getting told 'but you don't have a computer degree' when it came to getting bumps from the systems I designed so I quit and got the Comp Sci degree.

I turned down becoming a pharmacist because of the boredom I knew I'd encounter. If I was able to start my own pharmacy where advice was allowed to be given that'd be different, but commerical stores do not want to get sued so you sort of have to work with a leash on.

Å

 

[spidey07]

lot better to love a job that doesn't pay well than to hate a job that pays great.

It generally takes folks a LONG time to learn this.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

Originally posted by: spidey07
lot better to love a job that doesn't pay well than to hate a job that pays great.

It generally takes folks a LONG time to learn this.

he's all hyped up becuase he sees the potential earnings.

 

[sillymofo]

Originally posted by: Descartes
There are two types of motivation: extrinsic and instrinsic. The latter would be the pursuit of a career derived from your personal interest, and the former would be for financial gain. I find that I'm more an intrinsically motivated person, and no amount of compensation will keep me motivated enough to perform a job I do not enjoy. There are many people who are not this way, but you really need to give it some thought.

On that note, there's also a saying and it goes like this "Sometimes, you just have to do the things you don't want to do, to get where you want to be!"

 

[lilFajita]

its a very difficult choice. I think there is probably a financial threshold that allows you to accept a job that you do not like for the sake of having the money to do all that you want after 5---a "work to live" principal. In this scenerio, its important that you also have to consider what the new job will do your personal life: will you lose all your free time? will it dramatically increase your stress level? If so, the extra money may not do you much good.

What's important to remember is that rarely is there a threshold for a job you HATE to do. If you are going to HATE doing that work, its highly unlikely that any amount of money will help you get through the day.

I believe that there is a healthy balance between money and doing a job you love. I'm still looking for it though.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

yes lilfajita said it well.

my friend doesnt understand all the work one needs to put into this. we currently work as network admins and he hates dealing with people and hates reading materials. funny how now he wants to pitch sales call and talk people into our service. makes no sense to me, but he's definately desperate for the oney

 

[LuckyTaxi]

What's important to remember is that rarely is there a threshold for a job you HATE to do. If you are going to HATE doing that work, its highly unlikely that any amount of money will help you get through the day.

I believe that there is a healthy balance between money and doing a job you love. I'm still looking for it though.

Yea, even if we were to bring in big money, i dont know if i can wake up the next day knowing i have to fill out tons of paperwork. on top of that i will hve to find new prospects. i don't mind making let's say $75k a year if it's something i enjoy doing. i dont care if i dont have a porsche or a big mansion. if i'm not happy doing something then i can't put 110% into whatever it is i do.

I was trying to relay that message to him, but he's too excited/emotionally. sad part is if we failed, his emotions would be all jacked up. mind you he went from trying to get into the vending machine business and then to trying to buy foreclosed properties to flip. neither resulted in success.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

While I have no doubt that you can make a lot of money in any sales field if you're talented, keep in mind that the mortgage industry is going through a boom right now due to the recent record drops in interest rates. Conversely, I don't expect the IT slump to continue indefinitely.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw
While I have no doubt that you can make a lot of money in any sales field if you're talented, keep in mind that the mortgage industry is going through a boom right now due to the recent record drops in interest rates. Conversely, I don't expect the IT slump to continue indefinitely.

Yea ... i agree, im just glad i have a job. i can pay my bills and live comfortably and thats all i can ask for. would i like more money, yes? everyone does, but at the cost of working your butt off to find potential clients isn't somethig i want to deal with.