Recently, one of good friends announced he has accepted a position as associate dean of students at a local private university. The hard work of getting both his masters and doctorate (in education, I’m guessing) is finally paying off. Also needs paying off are his student loans, though surely that’s quite more doable now that his salary is in the six-figures.
After expressing congratulation and happiness to my friend, I immediately followed it with self-reflection on my own situation. Perhaps I too should look for greener pastures and higher yearly pay. Amongst our friend group, I would now be making the least by a considerable margin. Comparison is the thief of joy indeed. Look at the professional success of my friends! Oh god I am falling behind…
Upon further reflection, however, I once again realized I am very happy with where I work and how much I make. Would it be nice to make more money? Sure; who doesn’t want to be ever more comfortable, to buy the expensive things, or have the fun experiences. But there’s trade-offs in earning more, and usually that means time. Take my good friend for example: those years of post-undergraduate school was a significant investment in time.
Most importantly, a larger paycheck and more things aren’t going to make me any happier. Take it from me: I’ve spent six-figures on my dream car. The euphoria from monetary and material achievements lasts only a few weeks. Then you go back to your previous baseline. As my favorite page in Chuck Palahniuk’s Consider This (that’s the guy who wrote Fight Club) reads: