Passion vs. Money (Which is more important to follow and why)

I am basically ready for some other kind of work. I’ll take something with lower stress and more interesting for less pay.

Well…I had both until the economy tanked and ruined my interior design and home staging biz. between 2010 and 2013. I loved my work and took great pride in my creative passion and I was damn good at what I did.
Now I have what I crave more than anything, while broke and stumbling along in the financial fallout of the last few years I have peace again. Living, as I have, for decades on a new ranch property with good friends.

At 55 my ambition just ain’t what it used to be so at this juncture, I’ll take peace over passion but I do miss having money. lol I have learned just how creative and resourceful I really am and while I miss being financially solvent I must say I have adapted pretty damn well, all things considered.

Money, passion will come with it. I never thought I would ever end up saying this, but looking at life realistically and as I get older, I seem to be changing views on many things.

as long as the basic financial needs are met, passion.

Money. With it, you can relax and enjoy the passion.

Personally, i’d prefer to marry a gorgeous nympho billionaire girl.

One or the other.

Right now I am making low pay in a job I don’t like. I was fine doing it when I thought it would be about 20 hours a week, but my boss wants full time all the time and I won’t do it. I told him to hire someone else. If he finds a full time person he can tell me to leave.

The best is a job you like with at least a reasonable salary. Almost no amount of money is worth working in a job you hate, unless it will practically set you for life. Two years doing what you hate and you get $1million +? ok, yeah, I could sacrfice that probably. That’s not usually the case though. Its rarely love and hate or extremely different salaries being compared. When we are talking not much difference like make $40k for a job you love and $60k for a job you hate, I’d go with the love probably.

As long as the basic financial needs are met, passion.

I love @ragingloli‘s comment, and I agree. But course, the trick is getting one’s financial needs met. Especially one who is retired.

That’s the thing, what are basic financial needs? You mean being able to live check to check? Or, are you including saving for the rainy day or future? Mybhusband was laid off abfew weeks ago and thank goodness we always saved for a rainy day. He made a lot of money the last ten years, but before that we still were concerned about savings as a basic need. I was working and that all basically went to savings. I didn’t have to work, but I did, not so much for some sort of personal desire to work, but for the money.

It seems like the consensus here is that after “enough” money is made, passion is what truly matters. My question now, like @JLeslie is what satisfies basic financial needs? And what is that general number for you?(I can understand there would be differences when living in different locations with different cost of living and such).
Also, I am sorry to hear that. I hope that everything goes well with you and your husband!

Go after your Passion and perfect it. Then the money will come.

Whether or not money can buy happiness , it can buy freedom. I’m all over that. My children, not so much because I work all the time. I’m a sex worker. I make a ridiculous amount, but I hide what do. I have a shelf life of maybe 4 -5 more years. I worry a lot. But the gift of not having to sweat money is a huge, huge blessing. I wouldn’t change it .

Studies show money does buy happiness. It’s just averages of course, but people with lots of money rate higher on the happiness scales.

I think it’s partly the very thing @trailsillustrated said: freedom.

When I was growing up my dad said more than once (but not more than maybe 3 times that I can remember) “people will say money isn’t important, or isn’t the most important thing, but it is very important. It’s not about buying things, it’s about having freedom and independence. Power over your own life. Moreover, in our society, it helps buy us safety and health for ourselves and our family.”

Money can’t buy everything, but it is basically taboo in our society to talk about money being important. People perceive it as that person putting money before people and having integrity. Not at all. We take care if our lived ones with money. Especially in places like America. Education, health care, warm clothing, safe neighborhoods, healthy food, it’s all bought with money.
It’s about extremes I think. When someone pursues money to the point that they sacrifice relationships, health, and go as far as to hurt others for their own gain. That’s when a line is crossed.

@Inspired_2write I definitely agree with that! I hope to follow both!
@trailsillustrated @JLeslie I definitely think what both of you said is important. Freedom is huge. I think what you all said really put things in perspective. Society in general does like to emphasize “money isn’t everything”, but it’s true that money is needed to provide for family and secure financial freedom. I also think it’s important not to let money take control(like what you said about the extremes). Overall, I’d say it sounds like a good balance of both is needed. I always think that if I have all the money in the world, but I’m alone then it becomes worthless. However if I have all solid relationships with friends and family, but cannot provide for myself or my family, then I would lead a very tough life. I definitely realize now that both are needed. Money and Happiness. Passion and Financial Freedom. They are all important. I’ve also read that once people make a certain salary that takes care of their basic needs and wants that other factors become more important. Is that true?

@RedKnight I do believe in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. You can’t worry about yoga class when you don’t have food on the table.