A long-standing debate that has succeeded in riling up people of all ages: money or passion? Which one should you choose? Is one to be given preference over the other? Is one to be taken into account and another one not to be given its due importance? Can you choose between the two without letting go of the merits of the other? Pick one from both aspects that seem like the north and south pole, taking your life on a completely different journey? Won’t the person regret not choosing the other for life, if chosen one? Can a balance be achieved between the two extremes?
All these questions have varying answers that are given by people from various strata of life. Some would take the side of money while some would take the side of passion. The rest will tell you that the middle ground is achievable. A person can always switch from one career to another, but it is not a smooth transition, it is met with inner reluctance and outside sources as well.
You will find in your life, all types of people, ones who are rich but unhappy with their work and life, ones who are following their passion but living hand to mouth, and also the people who followed their passion and are also earning well because they made it work for themselves. You have to figure out which category you want to fall in.
Before making a decision, let us first consider both the factors and their importance, and find a suitable conclusion. Now let us see the side of both ends -
Money
It is the hard truth of life that you need money to sustain in this world of survival of the fittest. It is about the fundamental requirement of money to not live under uncertainty and have a sustainable lifestyle with honor and prestige in the society which can come with a good income. In today’s world if you want to be a part of a community than you need to meet the lifestyle requirements which it sets. However ridiculous it may sound it is the truth of today’s generation where you will feel left out if all your friends are vacationing and you cannot afford to do that.
Taking a high horse and saying that money does not matter is absurd as it may seem right for creative minds. For some people, a lavish lifestyle may not matter, but when it comes to providing for the family and fulfilling their smallest wishes, money becomes an essential factor to consider, when choosing a career.
It is not only about lifestyle, but a standard of living that can, with a decent paying profession, be afforded. All the things besides food, clothes, and a roof over your head, like a stable mode of transportation, entertainment, and household appliances, can only be purchased with money and not just dreams and that is the harsh reality. So while one may say that money is not essential, its importance in today’s world cannot be ignored at any point in time.
Passion
“What use is a lot of money if you have given up the pleasure to attain it? What use is a fortune when you have forgotten how to laugh, to feel, to love? And make no mistake about it; a boring, frustrating, noncreative job will result in those deficiencies.” – Jerry Gillies
As is implied in the quote, taking up a job that you are not passionate about, is bound to suck the life out of your existence. How can you wake up on a Monday morning to go to work and do a job that brings you no joy? You are only doing it because it is expected from you, because it gives you good money and because it helps you maintain the façade of a perfect life which has emptiness at its core.
Sure the decent position, money, and praise from relatives and friends might make you feel enjoyable in the starting, boost your self-esteem, give you a sustainable lifestyle, but the sense of accomplishment and a fulfilling life may gradually be lost. Your passion is the only thing that can keep your spirit alive. No amount of money can buy you the joy and happiness of doing something that you find exciting.
Money can buy you materialistic things, but passion can give you memories and experiences. You can only make memories while pursuing your passion. You only get one life so, it is up to you, what you make of it. Do you want to live a mechanical life, a life where you keep everyone else happy and feel nothing for yourself?
Conclusion
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer
A well-paying job can be what enthusiasts you. Similarly, a profession that you are passionate about can bring you money if you are dedicated to developing it and work hard. One thing that can be derived is that you cannot do something for a long time, or dedicate your life to it if you are not passionate about it.
What you do in life is not only about how much you earn or how passionate you are about it, but if at the end of the day it leaves you with a sense of accomplishment, if at the end of the day you feel the warmth of happiness coursing throughout your body. There can be no ends to this debate, and it can only rest at the point where you have to do what feels right for you. If it means earning money, then do it and if it means following your passion, then do that. It is always better to make a decision, live through it, and then being able to stand up and say that it did not work out rather than not even trying what your heart and mind was telling you to do and regretting that.
Just remember that in the end, only your satisfaction with your life and the happiness of everyday matters. Nothing else has mattered and nothing else will ever will.
Written by - Isha Jain
Edited by - Shelton Prabhakar
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