Dear Pathfinder, is the Career Center’s Career Development advice column. Have a question for us? Submit it here. Catch up on past letters, here.
The Question –
Is it okay if the only thing I care about work is money? I am only motivated by money when it comes to work. To be honest, I think if everyone is sufficient with their financial means, no one wants to go to work.
— Finding my way
Dear Finding my way,
The quick response to your question is, yes. It is okay if your primary goal for working is to make money and if your primary motivator is money.
Let’s break this down because there are exciting things and confusing things about your top motivator.
As a brief detour, the foundations of career development are built, in part, on values. Your values and your career choice go hand in hand. A person is well aligned in their career when it overlaps with what matters to them. This is why one of our stages of career development is know yourself.
Here’s the exciting part:
- You are getting to know yourself! This isn’t the most fun task to take on, it can take time and can reveal some tough truths so, be proud of yourself. A lot of people skip this phase of the career development process and frankly, it can lead to lots of career dissatisfaction later.
- People are motivated by a range of things. Thank goodness we aren’t all driven by the same thing!
- You get to pick what matters to you. Nobody else gets to decide this (despite their best efforts).
- Being financially secure is a goal for many people. It can allow you to reach other goals like home ownership, travel, retiring early, and more.
- Your focus is much more clear: you know what you want and what encourages you so, you can filter and search for high paying job roles.
And the confusing part:
- External influences like family, peers, society, often place value on money which can create self-doubt: Am I picking this because I really care about money too? Or is this what I’ve heard/been told my whole life?
- Systems of oppression were built for, around, and on money. It’s possible to run into the negative connotations around perpetuating these systems when your only motivator is money.
- Tension arises if/when the stories you’ve absorbed equate money with happiness and success. No matter what things look like, they aren’t always as they appear. Money is not the answer to a happy and fulfilling life.
- You may identify your values but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve decided to like them. Learning to like yourself is just as beneficial as knowing yourself.
So, what then? Well, I have some questions for you…
- Are you comfortable with and accepting of your values?
- How might you navigate external pressures or self-doubt?
- Is this primary motivator your choice or, what others have said will bring you happiness?
Keep doing the hard internal work. Knowing your values is the solid start. Accepting your values and liking yourself is the real power move.
— Catherine A., Assistant Director, Career Insights, Assessment and Technology
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Dear Finding my way,
I love this question. Catherine raised some important points for you to consider, especially if you’re feeling judged for what motivates you to move forward in your career right now. To avoid repeating what she already shared, I’ll focus on two additional thoughts:
- Work doesn’t have to be the defining characteristic of your life. I can appreciate that idea. You can love the work you do and not have it dominate every facet of what you do in the world. Wanting to earn a certain income can simply be about giving yourself the space and stability to live the life you want to outside of work. I think there is a saying that goes, “I work to live well, not to live at work” or something like that.
- Take a moment to reflect on what’s making you question whether this motivation is “good.” Please forgive me if I’m putting words in your mouth. If this is true for you, my follow-up questions are:
- Are you worried about not making a positive impact in the world? If so, remember that there are countless ways to contribute (e.g. mentoring, volunteering, donating, or engaging with your community) and none of these activities have to be connected to what pays your bills or funds your lifestyle.
- I also need to raise that your income goals might be part of a longer-term plan that allows you to make the impact you want later. First, you achieve that ideal form of financial stability. Then, you explore whatever is next in your process. Please don’t forget that you’ll continue to grow too and if money is your primary motivator right now, that doesn’t mean it always will be.
Not to be that person, but this might be a great time to schedule an appointment with someone in the Career Center or with someone you trust. Everyone will have a different opinion about this question, but ultimately, the only person who needs to feel comfortable with your motivation is you. You got this.
