This topic has been a matter of discussion for ages between some ambitious parents and their dreamy children. Let’s say Bob, a fifteen-year-old Spanish boy, wants to be an architect. His father, the owner of a multinational, tells Bob that he is not going to be able to find a well-paid job within their country, and therefore he encourages him to study another career, one that will ensure that Bob earns a big salary. As a consequence of his father words, Bob feels misunderstood. Why would his own father step on his dream just because he thinks that “architects do not earn big salaries in Spain”?
It saddens me whenever I hear this kind of situations. Why wouldn’t someone become whatever they want to be in the future? Just because “it doesn’t give you enough money”? Honestly, in my opinion, and obviously respecting the other opinions, this way of thinking is meaningless. Although I understand the probably existing concern of some parents whose daughter wants to study interpretation of dead languages (because of her future job opportunities), I cannot comprehend the attitude of imposing that concern over your daughter’s dream. It just sound to frivolous to me.
My mother has always told me one phrase: “Study whatever you want, and work on whatever you want. If those formulae do not work together or are not enough to bring you stability or happiness, then study whatever you want, and you will work on whatever you can”. I love this phrase, because it basically tells you to aim for job satisfaction, before any other thing, money included. I totally agree with this way of thinking. My personal satisfaction is beyond everything.
Finally, no, I totally disagree with the affirmation: “Big salary is much more important than job satisfaction”. I think that money doesn’t give you happiness. Happiness is earned through a much more complicated process rather than a deposit into your bank account, and, in my opinion, personal satisfaction is an essential part of this process.