Do You Follow the Money or Will the Money Follow You?

By Renee Booth

"The money is too good to turn down!" I've often heard this phrase spoken by successful professionals who are either being recruited away by other organizations or those who feel perpetually bored at work and simply want to move on to what they perceive as the next big thing. It’s at those times that I become thoughtful about what people are willing to sacrifice for financial rewards at work.

While I have a healthy respect for the difference that money can make in a life, it’s been my experience that the money follows you. Those who chase money often ultimately end up with less of it and in fact are no more satisfied with their lives in the end.

It seems to me that professionals make the most money when they are doing work that they truly enjoy and are well suited for. The ones who get rich become so because they reliably and persistently work hard and produce exceptional results. They are proud and enriched by the work that they do.

This is in contrast to those who are overly concerned about making more money and feel any job is acceptable as long as there is financial advancement. The money seekers often end up in jobs that are not of authentic interest to them, making them less motivated and ultimately negatively impacting their performance and job satisfaction. They change jobs too often, find it hard to commit, and tend to have trouble being satisfied. Ironically, these challenges complicate their lives in a way that uses up and requires even more money.

When considering your next job change, think hard about your real reasoning. What are you moving toward? What are you moving away from? Think about whether you are truly moving toward something that will make your life more satisfying in the long run, or simply chasing money that will ultimately be like an empty promise.

If you do work that you love and feel well suited for, you will be wealthy by many accounts.

 

 

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