Some research shows that given a choice of more money, better paying work, better work conditions and the rest, people often opt for what they consider is a compromise.
Rees-Jones, a doctoral student of Economics at Cornell University said that people make trade-offs where they feel the family would be happier one way, rather than another way.
For example, with more pay, the worker bee compromises at his or her own expense for the greater happiness of the family. In the research report, they also said that if their decision would bring greater status, more of a feeling of well-being and perhaps security they would opt for the better paying job.
From some facts I have seen at different Universities, reports show the contrary, namely, if your neighbour is getting paid $150,000 a year or more and you could get a job paying $250,000 a year and mostly the others in the same immediate area are being paid about the same, that is $150,000 per annum, then you are more likely to take the lesser paying job.
Other studies were done such as whether they would take a higher paying job if the work hours were bad or a lesser paying job where the work hours were good. The larger percentage went for the option of the higher paying job and said they would not regret it even though their happiness was compromised.
As far as I am concerned it is all about the individual, not a whole lot of facts and figures and we all need to make the choices which we feel we can live with, without sacrificing everything we hold dear to our hearts.
We mortals need to feel the disparity between where we are now and where we have been before when we were more innocent, less burdened and less worried about life; in this way we may be capable of making the right decision, which is a decision we will never ever regret.
Along the way most of us have compromised, our health, our families, our happiness, our careers or something; I sacrificed money to find happiness to find that it wasn’t the money I needed to sacrifice, it was my attitude. Many people have made sacrifices and in the survey many who did make big sacrifices said they did not regret it.
Personally, I would think they must have made a big mistake to sacrifice happiness and to find out how much they sacrificed, you would only need to ask their children, friends, families and ex- wives, husbands or lovers.
What sacrifices do you think are worth making if any?
Cheers
Chris Borrett
Image Credit: FreeImages.com/Mokra
If by chance, you have not encountered my previous posts outside this blog, one of my favourites is about “How To Make A Decision and Stick To It”. You have the luxury of reading it by clicking here.