Comments on: Success vs. Happiness: Do I Have to Choose? http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/ Freelance Writing, Personal Development, and Making Money with Freelance Writer Michael Kwan Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:28:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Five Random Songs on My iPod || Beyond the Rhetoric || http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-43848 Five Random Songs on My iPod || Beyond the Rhetoric || Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:50:49 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-43848 [...] is incredibly powerful. It’s the kind of thing that can keep you happy and successful, and at the same time, it’s one of the most effective ways to help you achieve a healthy [...] [...] is incredibly powerful. It’s the kind of thing that can keep you happy and successful, and at the same time, it’s one of the most effective ways to help you achieve a healthy [...]

]]> By: The Single Greatest Key to Happiness || Beyond the Rhetoric || http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-37204 The Single Greatest Key to Happiness || Beyond the Rhetoric || Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:44:57 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-37204 [...] you feel pretty good about yourself. At the same time, some people may also say that you have to choose between success and happiness. So, what makes you [...] [...] you feel pretty good about yourself. At the same time, some people may also say that you have to choose between success and happiness. So, what makes you [...]

]]> By: Derek http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36535 Derek Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:07:16 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36535 That is a very important distinction between burnout and unhappiness. Lately I have been in more of a project manager role and that has resulted in some level of unhappiness, as I preferred my role as a developer - which is where I was happier but did go through periods of burnout. That is a very important distinction between burnout and unhappiness. Lately I have been in more of a project manager role and that has resulted in some level of unhappiness, as I preferred my role as a developer - which is where I was happier but did go through periods of burnout.

]]> By: Michael Kwan http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36534 Michael Kwan Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:44:37 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36534 For myself, I think it's more a sense of burnout than it is unhappiness. I wouldn't trade my freelance writing career in for a conventional day job, largely because of the freedoms and sense of control that I currently enjoy. That said, it's easy to get burned out when you know you <em>can</em> be making money instead of playing Guitar Hero. For myself, I think it’s more a sense of burnout than it is unhappiness. I wouldn’t trade my freelance writing career in for a conventional day job, largely because of the freedoms and sense of control that I currently enjoy. That said, it’s easy to get burned out when you know you can be making money instead of playing Guitar Hero.

]]> By: Derek http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36532 Derek Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:38:45 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36532 This is a great topic and is something that I have been kicking around in my own life recently. While I feel that I have reached a certain level of success in my career, I cannot say that I am happy with what I am doing right now (at the day job). While finding a job you truly love is ideal, you made a great point that there will still be times where you want to be doing something else. However, I don't necessarily consider that being unhappy. Over at Dad Balance, I recently referenced quotes from Steve Jobs and Donny Deutsch (heard it from him) about happiness and being in the right career. When you find that you are unhappy more often than you are happy, that is when you need to seriously consider a change. This is a great topic and is something that I have been kicking around in my own life recently. While I feel that I have reached a certain level of success in my career, I cannot say that I am happy with what I am doing right now (at the day job).

While finding a job you truly love is ideal, you made a great point that there will still be times where you want to be doing something else. However, I don’t necessarily consider that being unhappy.

Over at Dad Balance, I recently referenced quotes from Steve Jobs and Donny Deutsch (heard it from him) about happiness and being in the right career. When you find that you are unhappy more often than you are happy, that is when you need to seriously consider a change.

]]> By: Leo http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36433 Leo Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:30:28 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36433 Which reminds me that I forgot to spit in your pho last Saturday. Which reminds me that I forgot to spit in your pho last Saturday.

]]> By: Michael Kwan http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36400 Michael Kwan Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:48:41 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36400 The inside joke is that I got to go to Las Vegas for CES and enjoy a bunch of free swag, parties, booze, and so on... and Leo didn't. But yes, I think both of you are right and it was almost the point that I was trying to get across in this post. You can be wildly successful in terms of money and career, but if you're not happy, it's not worth it. That almost begs the question: what makes you happy? Perhaps this is fodder for a future post. The inside joke is that I got to go to Las Vegas for CES and enjoy a bunch of free swag, parties, booze, and so on… and Leo didn’t.

But yes, I think both of you are right and it was almost the point that I was trying to get across in this post. You can be wildly successful in terms of money and career, but if you’re not happy, it’s not worth it.

That almost begs the question: what makes you happy? Perhaps this is fodder for a future post.

]]> By: James-DigitalKeyToInfo http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36399 James-DigitalKeyToInfo Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:41:35 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36399 I think I agree with Leo (there must be some inside joke there I don't know). Happyness is a part of success (I used Chris Gardner's spelling for happiness there on purpose). It is your definition of success. Yes, you can be successful at many things and be unhappy. That would not fit my definition of success. There also those (who happen to be very successful) that teach that success is not a point that you reach. I think I agree with Leo (there must be some inside joke there I don’t know). Happyness is a part of success (I used Chris Gardner’s spelling for happiness there on purpose).
It is your definition of success. Yes, you can be successful at many things and be unhappy. That would not fit my definition of success.
There also those (who happen to be very successful) that teach that success is not a point that you reach.

]]> By: Leo http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36365 Leo Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:21:12 +0000 http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2008/01/15/success-vs-happiness-do-i-have-to-choose/#comment-36365 To me, happiness=success. Since you are so unhappy at being bogged down with CES articles, I am successful :) To me, happiness=success. Since you are so unhappy at being bogged down with CES articles, I am successful :)

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