Two Points of View
Some of my friends believe that in order to achieve success, you have to really grind it out for the first few years. Working 60 hours a week, being stressed out, and continuing to press in order to “make it.” This is a time-honored American tradition, in many ways–placing a higher value on the prestige and money one might get down the road than on current happiness and stress level.
Another group of friends believes that there is no magical arriving point for people who begin their careers that way. They would argue that if you need to work so hard that you are wearing yourself out, you are on the wrong path. You’re going to wind up in a job that’s even more stressful down the road rather than arriving at a coasting point.
They disagree as to whether it is necessary to work like that in order to get ahead as a young professional.
Is having more problems and less happiness necessary in order to make more money?
If you enjoy reading this blog, why not tip the author?
21 responses so far ↓
1 Jason // Jul 27, 2007 at 8:22 am
Sounds to me like friend #1 is confusing a “crappy entry level job” with a “just plain crappy job”.
Burning yourself out in the first few years isn’t the way to go. No job is worth that kind of aggravation and stress. If he ends up with money and a title years from now, it won’t matter if he’s got no time to enjoy it and wasted his youth.
There are many other ways to accomplish what he wants. They’re a little slower, but they also don’t come with the same amount of stress.
In response to your question, no, it’s absolutely not necessary. I know plenty of people who became very successful without sacrificing everything. It took them a little longer, but they made it. It’s a matter of patience and perspective.
2 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 27, 2007 at 9:47 am
@Jason– Excellent response. Haste makes waste is the old cliche, I believe. That is a key distinction and pretty insightful I think. Thanks for contributing!
3 Heath // Jul 27, 2007 at 11:13 am
I think there is a problem if one’s goal is to arrive at a “coasting point.” If one wants to achieve balance between work and a certain lifestyle, it is better to establish that early on. Paying dues up front can lead you to higher levels, but my experience has been that those higher levels don’t magically require less effort.
You just go from paying dues to being taxed. The key is enjoying the work and the lifestyle it provides. It’s easier to pay the tax if it’s attached to something you value.
4 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 27, 2007 at 1:48 pm
@Heath– “You go from paying dues to being taxed.” Very clever, and I would agree with your assessment.
5 Bush Mackel // Jul 27, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Hey Chuck, I’m listening to “4 Hour Work Week” right now. Fits RIGHT in with this post.
“Is having more problems and less happiness necessary in order to make more money?” Nope, but society tells us otherwise.
6 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 27, 2007 at 8:00 pm
@Bush– My brother in law keeps telling me that I need to read that book… along with everyone else. I suppose it’s about time I went out and got a copy.
7 icedragon // Jul 27, 2007 at 8:47 pm
We think that both of your friends are right . . .
You need to work hard for others, you need to have stress, not seeing the family, you need not enough money every weekend and you need to be so bored that you are 2 minutes close to kill the left of humanity you may have
The next big thing is the awareness of your situation, you will see that you are a frog in warm waters but you have to change that, and then, you begin to search for an answer, financial independence, entrepreneur, life, joy, stuff like that sounds every second of the day in your head
So, many will follow their six sense for success, other, will not move from their places because the fear and the comfort is more bigger than the journey of the dragon
That, is what we think, and feel . . .
8 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 27, 2007 at 10:52 pm
@icedragon– So you think that the stressful situation builds character? That’s an interesting point if that’s what you’re getting at. Of course, there might be other causes to work hard for than financial success if you are intending to sacrifice for something. Thanks for the comment!
9 Bryan @ One Man's Goal // Jul 30, 2007 at 1:41 am
I think it takes massive amounts of hard work to get where you want to be. However, I don’t think that your work ever gets you to a “coasting point”.
I think the harder you work, the more noticed you become. Therefore more opportunities fall into your lap than the lazy guy just trying to make it.
It then becomes an issue of “leveraging” these opportunities into your “coasting point”.
Great post!
10 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 30, 2007 at 8:04 am
@Bryan– Thanks for visiting, and I appreciate your comment. So as more opportunities fall into your lap, it would seem as if you could back off a little, right? That would be an example of leveraging your previous hard work.
Of course, certain types of work don’t allow for that to ever happen. It’s hard for an attorney to leverage his previous work except to get even more demanding work…
11 Melissa // Jul 30, 2007 at 8:28 am
I think it’s important to be careful about “paying dues.” Often, that early sacrifice sets a precedent, for yourself and your employers, of what you are willing to do for your job. If your boss knows you’re willing to put in 70 hours a week, you’ll probably be expected to do the same if you move up within the company. It’s also possible that you’ve become a workaholic and fear that working any less will result in failure. Like my mother always said, “you’ve got to start out in a way you can keep up.”
12 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 30, 2007 at 8:38 am
@Melissa– You’re setting an expectation for yourself and for your boss of how you will work. Maybe your boss won’t always be with you, but if you train yourself to work a certain way, it might be hard to quit. Good point, thanks!
13 Tiffany // Jul 30, 2007 at 10:23 am
This is a great question. So many people think that more money is the Mecca of their careers, and a promotion will make them more happy because they will have more money, regardless of the actual work they will have to do. But, research shows that the “happy point” of money-making is $40,000, regardless of market or family size, because this is the average point where you don’t suffer for any basic need. Beyond that, you just buy more expensive of the same things you need, and superfluous stuff that doesn’t make you more happy anyway.
But so many people I know seek to make more money as opposed to having a career that makes them satisfied and fulfilled. They end up getting the money, and still not finding satisfaction. Some lucky people get both. But they usually pursue happiness through a career path they really love, and the money follows. I don’t know many people who have followed the money and ended up with a job they love.
14 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 30, 2007 at 10:40 am
@Tiffany– Great comment, thanks. Do you have a link to that research? That would be fantastic.
Seems like there’s mostly a consensus on this issue…
By the way, everyone. Tiffany writes a good blog at www.littleredsuit.com. Check it out!
15 Rebecca Thorman // Jul 30, 2007 at 11:23 am
This is a great discussion, Chuck. My two cents- I think you can work crazy hard as long as you’re doing what you enjoy. The first person could easily be me, except that I love what I do- does your friend? You do have to work hard to “make it.”
16 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 30, 2007 at 11:55 am
@Rebecca T– Enjoying what you do would definitely make loner hours more palatable. You might still have to be on the lookout for burn-out, workaholism, and other such nasties.
Thanks for the good comment!
17 Randy // Jul 30, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I have read that an extra hour of sleep a night has more effect on a persons overall happiness than a $50,000 increase of pay. Makes you wonder why we put our priorities where we do.
18 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 30, 2007 at 1:21 pm
@Randy– Similarly, making sure to visit with a friend each day is like a $180,000 bump in salary. I’d love to get together a complete index of tidbits like that…
Any loyal readers want to take that project on in return for fame and glory?
19 Peggy // Jul 30, 2007 at 3:14 pm
The thing I can’t understand is these folks putting in all these hours and traveling all these miles and burning both ends of the candle and they don’t have or never intend to have children.
For my husband and I, paychecks are revolving doors that don’t go to nicer cars or finer shoes and better clothing…it goes to cheerleading, swimming, field trips, baseball, football…etc.
I really can’t image have lots of money with no kids to spend it on….
As for the $40 K figure,…that was big-time money back in the day when my husband and I starting working out of college in 1982
20 Chuck Westbrook // Jul 30, 2007 at 3:26 pm
@Peggy– On one hand, it’s harder for me to imagine someone doing that with children. The freedom and extra time that comes from not having kids might naturally go to work.
21 Eric B // Aug 9, 2007 at 2:02 pm
I value time and money, but not equally. As long as I can pay my bills and save a little bit, I enjoy having more time off than money.
Maybe this will change as I continue to grow older, but right now I enjoy having more time off.
Leave a Comment