here is a longstanding debate on whether money can buy happiness or not, with mixed results leaning towards both sides. Most would agree that it’s not money itself that makes one happy but rather it’s what can be bought with the money. However, that still begs the question: if you don’t have money, can you still be happy? For the most part, money is needed at a basic level in order to purchase the things we need in life to survive, but at what point does passion become more important than profit?
With a new awakening by many people who are more interested in their quality of life, we have compiled a list of seven reasons why loving what you do is more important than how much you make.
1. You Have a Better Chance of Living Longer
According to WebMD, studies have found that many health issues like obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma worsen or increase when put in a stressful environment. When you are working at a job that you hate or a job that you are only at because of the money, you are literally taking years off of your life due to the stress that job may cause. Add to that the fact that not living out your passion adds another level of dissatisfaction, where you are doubly hurting yourself by adding potential regret to the mix.
2. You Will NEVER Fail
Albert Einstein once said, “You never fail until you stop trying.” In other words, you don’t become a failure by failing. You become a failure by giving up. When you are solely working for a paycheck and the going gets tough it becomes easier to just walk away and find something else to do, instead of sticking it out and persevering. Passion allows you to go above and beyond in everything you do. And even if something happens that sets you back, you will continue to put your best foot forward because you are passionate about your work.
3. You Can Provide For Your Family Long Term
When your why is big enough, you can handle just about any how! It is no secret that success takes hard work but when you are motivated, it becomes more difficult for you to fail or not be successful. With that said, following your passion ensures that you have longevity in what you are doing. So if you combine your passion with a paycheck, you will make more over your lifetime then if you simply chased money. Yes, you can probably make a lot of money in the immediate, but the amount of work that it will take to sustain your income on a long-term perspective will burn you out. As a result, this may cause you to quit based on poor work-life balance or get terminated due to performance. Either way, that income disruption may be detrimental to you and your family’s well-being, so going after your passion from the start increases your chance of having a stable financial household.
4. You Only Live Once
Two things guaranteed in life are death and taxes! No matter how you slice it every one of us at some point is going to die! Sorry to sound harsh, but if you only have one life to live, why waste it doing something that you don’t love? Time is the one thing that you can NEVER get back. Think about it: if you lose money, you can always make some more, but time, once wasted, is gone forever. Instead of spending your precious time chasing something that will always be there (money), focus on using what is limited (time) to its fullest.
5. You Have a Reason to Keep Going
Life is full of ups and downs. When the downturns happen, your passion is what is going to get you through even the worst of times. Imagine struggling and going through hardship and the only thing you have to show for it is your bank account or material possessions? The value of those things decreases very quickly, while passion stays with you forever. Passion gives you a reason to wake up with enthusiasm instead of working for the weekends. Passion gives you the extra energy you need to keep going, when the going gets tough.
6. You Can Build a Strong Network
When you are motivated and passionate about your work, you attract other people who have the same passion for their work. Conversely, when you are passionate and love what you do, it also becomes easier to spot those who are not as passionate. If you are in a leadership position, this allows you to build a strong team that will help you achieve your goals faster. If you are not in a leadership position, it allows you to shine and move up the corporate ladder faster because you will stand out from the crowd. And if you are an entrepreneur, it will allow you to be surrounded by those who have the same values and work ethic that you do. Very simply, the more you surround yourself with high achievers, the further you’ll go.
7. You’ll Increase Your Happiness
As the famous John Lennon quote says, “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” Be like John! Understand that life is about being happy and happiness comes from doing what sets your soul on fire! Follow your passion and be happy.
Note: Original article posted on Popsugar. Click here for original
