Somewhere near the end of 2011 (I think) Forbes released a study of the 10 happiest jobs. Herewith the list in order of happiness.
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| Copyright Konami |
1. Clergy
2. Firefighters
3. Physical Therapists
4. Authors
5. Special Education Teachers
6. Teachers
7. Artists
8. Psychologists
9. Financial Services Sales Agents
10. Operating Engineers
Six out of the ten make very small amounts of money. With the exception of Financial Services Sales Agents (??) and Operating Engineers, all these jobs have to do with art or helping people.
The average human spends 97 760 hours working (taken for an 8 hour, five day work week from 18-65). So I think one should take care in picking what to spend almost 100k hours on.
I am really lucky to have the possibility of working for a living as an author. Those that already do are lucky too, even if they only scrape over the top of the budget. All the other jobs on the list too (except maybe Financial Services Sales Agents).
Given the choice between happiness paired with poverty and medium-happiness paired with money, there is no contest for me. A few years ago, I might have wavered or argued that money would make me happy, but not anymore.
If you had that choice, which would you choose? (Then again, if you’re an aspiring or published novelist, you already chose, didn’t you?)
Happiness.
ReplyDeleteGood answer.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, I'm pretty happy with the job I've got as an author right now. It's a lot of work, but that's what makes it worth it. :) There's also my job of mom, wife, homemaker, cook, laundress, car washer, finance clerk, etc....
ReplyDelete(Hm, apparently there is now a reply thing in blogger comments.)
DeleteYou are actually a good example of the kind of author I want to be. You love what you write, not that you get paid to write.
Also, car washer? I thought that was what children were for. ;)