Many people falsely assume that they would be happiest with a job that pays the most money. This almost makes sense, because it is with money that we can go on vacations and buy fun toys. However, money is far from the only part of the happiness at work equation. In fact, it’s actually a pretty small factor.
Realistically, when it comes to vocational endeavors, there are two other factors that weigh much more heavily: perceived progress and perceived control.
“Perceived” Is Key
You’ll notice that I said perceived progress and perceived control. That’s because perception really has a lot more to do with your happiness than the hard facts of the matter. Let’s illustrate with an example.
Shown above is a depiction of the Penrose Stairs, also known as the endless staircase or the impossible staircase. We can see from this vantage point that the stairs really lead to nowhere. However, for the man on the stairs, he may feel like he is getting somewhere. After all, the personal experience would be that of moving forward and upward — the very definition of progress.
In the context of the work environment, you are happier when you feel like you are moving forward and upward. Promotions, salary increases, and greater responsibility give that sense of progress. You may remember an episode of The Office where Dwight Schrute was “promoted” from “Assistant to the Regional Manager” to “Assistant Regional Manager.” He felt like he was getting a promotion, even though his job description and pay rate remained unchanged. Even so, he was happy with the “change.”
Taking the Reins
This may apply in a varying degree, depending on your personality, but it is also rewarding to feel like you are in control. If you are always told exactly what to do and how to do it, with no flexibility to deviate from these instructions, the job is likely not very satisfying.
However, if you can take greater ownership of your work and feel like you are the one holding the reins, you’re likely happier when the project is successful. This gives your job meaning. The sense of control and the sense of ownership go hand-in-hand.
Plateaus Outside Your Control
It’s likely because of these two factors that I chose a career in freelance writing. I have a great deal of control, since I am effectively my own boss, and I get a better sense of progress when I see my name more widely recognized or I earn more money. It helps that I think this progress and control is real, but who knows? It could be all in my head.
For my part, perceived progress and perceived control are greatly valuable, but they are lacking one other important element: novelty. Routine has its place, but not at the price of stagnation. Novelty lends itself to progress, especially when you can control the direction of that novelty.
Michael, I would have agreed with this whole post if I had not been in the position of not having money and praying for a computer job before the School check comes.
I would rather have a high paying job that I hate, could leave every day to go home every night not stressed about whether I can feed my kids or not or whether I can have enough money to pay for my diabetes medicine or for anything else that is a necessity.
Money is important….It does make the rest easier.
Money is important, undoubtedly, but that doesn’t really detract from the crux of this post. I’d say that it is related to a perceived sense of control. If you had more money, you would feel like you had greater control over your finances, freeing you to focus on other concerns and issues. Money is a necessity, based on the lifestyles that we live, and feeling like you have it “under control” can aid in your happiness.
But, I don’t see not having money as perceived. It creates more reality on the not having side than the having side. When you are on the having side you can relax more and are in reality in more control, but may perceive that you are in greater control than you may actually be.
On the other hand, without money you know in reality that you have a fixed amount and have to budget to a real amount to get by. That is where I feel money is a bigger part of reality than perception.
Ah, but that’s the thing. The money itself is real, to be sure, but your perception of its relative value is different. The cost of living just about anywhere in the United States is higher than many other parts of the world where people may earn in one year what you earn in a month (or less). How far your dollar goes is relative.
Happiness is relative, not entirely tied to financial wealth, or the lack thereof. In some parts of the world, people can and do live a fulfilling life without having a high paying job.
On the other hand, if one’s perception is not in tune with one’s reality, it can come across as denial.
Money is not the end all be all of happiness, I have had jobs where I made great money but was miserable. Happiness Is what you make it!