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elfboy
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How important is making money with regards to your career goals? For me it is a low prioity. I enjoy mathematics so much I'll do it for free. What's your opinion?
elfboy said:How important is making money with regards to your career goals? For me it is a low prioity. I enjoy mathematics so much I'll do it for free. What's your opinion?
lubuntu said:the way I see it is you can either dedicate your life to making money, which is what probably >95% or Americans do or you can dedicate your life to pursuing what gives you happiness? I think we only have one chance so I am taking the second one and pursuing my happiness, learning about the nature of our universe.
qspeechc said:It's all dandy to say you don't care about money while your parents are still supporting you. Wait til you get into the real world, all on your own.
I wouldn't bank my life on receiving one of 200 positions with the positions being taken for 30 years at a time therefore no real turnaround so that effectively there is a few positions every few years.phreak said:Well, if you become a professor, you can do math all day, teach only about 6 hours a week, and still get over $100k/year if you work at a top institution. Sounds pretty nice to me.
I think that might be due to the realization that a few million isn't enough to live on forever and that a big chunk is taken away by taxes and inflation is only getting worse.Choppy said:While I'm sure it's open to critique, this study has received it's share of attention over the years:
http://education.ucsb.edu/janeconoley/ed197/documents/brickman_lotterywinnersandaccidentvictims.pdf
In summary - lottery winners are no happier than paralyzed accident victims over time. The general extension from this (and likely other similar studies) is to suggest that there is no correlation between wealth and happiness.
physstudent1 said:to the person saying the real world is a piece of cake you should really think about that, just because your job is so accommodating don't think everyone is so fortunate. Trying working 2 jobs to support your family, and I don't mean office jobs I mean manual labor or construction see how accomodating they are, "oh i can't make it in today because of a sick child", "oh ok you're fired, good luck feeding them "
Troponin said:Putting yourself in a position with a better job in the "real world" is easier than achieving success in a difficult academic program.
The complaint isn't against the real world in general, it is a complaint that is made to (presumably high functioning students) in academia...from professors that the "real world" will be unforgiving to them.
Ironically, this statement is most often made from professors who've spent their entire lives in academia...and have never "really" been in the real world.
Brian_C said:This is just completely false. I know several professors who held positions in industry as engineers or scientists, and none of them ever said that the real world was a "piece of cake". My own parents have worked in the health care industry for decades, and they are always telling me how brutal the hours and working conditions are. These are professionals with post-graduate degrees who make very comfortable incomes. There are some people who slack off at work, but they rarely last for any length of time.
Troponin said:Yeah, people complain about anything if you talk to them long enough.
I'm sure someone coming in from the steel mills will really sympathize with their plight.
You said yourself that they make comfortable incomes.
You can think the real world is brutal, that's fine.
I'm saying that if you can make it through a post-graduate degree program, you typically won't find a ton of misery and financial despair when you move on to the "real world."
I'm not a young student.
I've held two and three jobs to put my wife through school.
I've started a business while still holding a full time job.
I now own two businesses and effectively "retired" before I hit 30. I'm back in school because of some deep-seeded insecurity/stupidity to earn a degree in Math and Physics because I was always bothered that I never did good...or applied myself to those subjects.
The real world was easy. If you have a decent level of intelligence and a good work ethic, you can make a life for yourself that is better than most people will be able to enjoy.
I find academia much less forgiving than "real world" employers. I find professors to be, on the average, must more condescending than "real world" bosses.
You're more than welcome to feel differently.
Brian_C said:You really don't know what you're talking about.
lubuntu said:What up with every sentence having its own line, is that a poem or something?
flatmaster said:Money is the one half exponent of all evil
khemix said:To the people saying money is not important, you are living in denial. If it was not important, you would not be in college attempting to complete a degree; self study would suffice.
Career goals are the objectives or targets that an individual sets for themselves in their professional life. They are important because they provide a sense of direction and purpose, help in making decisions, and motivate individuals to work towards achieving their desired outcomes.
Making money is often a key aspect of career goals, as it allows individuals to support themselves and their families, achieve financial stability, and attain a certain standard of living. It can also serve as a measure of success and progress towards one's career goals.
It ultimately depends on an individual's personal values and goals. While making money may be important for some, others may prioritize factors such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, or making a positive impact in their field. It is important to find a balance that aligns with one's values and goals.
While making money can be a motivating factor, it should not be the sole focus in one's career. A successful and fulfilling career also involves factors such as personal growth, job satisfaction, and making a positive impact. It is important to have a well-rounded approach to career goals.
One way to balance career goals and making money is to prioritize and set realistic expectations. This involves identifying one's values and goals, creating a plan to achieve them, and being open to adjusting and adapting as needed. It is also important to find a career that aligns with one's passions and interests, as this can lead to greater job satisfaction and overall success.