Choices VS Decisions
The world is a place where people would choose a favorable choice rather than the best one because of so many factors. For example, many would choose to be wealthy rather than be fulfilled or established. This isn't because true happiness isn't the goal, normally as humans, we like our choices to naturally to expand beyond a singular accomplishment, hence, the goal would now be to be wealthy, established then happy see the way I arranged it in a manner of hierarchical Importance?
In so many situations people making these choices would feel that inevitably money will end up buying that fulfillment since there's a way to derive fulfillment knowing that the end-game of that decision is to be financially free which is the ultimate height that trumps any other decisions that might appear or seem better. The Overjustification effect is a phenomenon whereby people forget how intrinsically motivated to do what they love due to a reward bias being in the mix.
As a teenager, I enjoyed teaching literature, it grew up to become a passion and then became a job. However, as an adult now, I've forgotten how intrinsically motivated I was to always teach it, I had schools who would use me to teach their students without paying me a dime, I loved doing it, so I didn't care, however immediately I was offered my first wage, call it a sort of appreciation income.
I was happy to earn money as a 19-year-old and I felt that this would become a motivation for me to continue doing what I love. But the reverse was the case, you see, in one's personally finance journey, it's always Important to distinguish between what should intrinsically and extrinsically motivate one, because when the latter replaces the former it becomes difficult for one to actually become freely motivated by what they use to love doing
One of those definitive factors is adulthood.
You see as adults, we naturally are responsible to a fault, we cannot afford to waste time, we incur responsibility as adults hence we begin to need money for almost every value we give off inasmuch as this wouldn't have been the case when we were younger. The Overjustification effect inadvertently slides into our lives the moment we start getting paid for what we love doing and when these payments are taking away, it drastically reduces our love for the things we initially wouldn't mind not getting paid for, even if we wouldn't Initially admit this in the first place.
I was paid poorly teaching literature, but Overtime I began to complain about the meager salaries, even when initially I was happy to take $30 in the first place. Most people hold the notion that there's nothing as fulfilling as doing what you love, but this isn't always true, doing what you love often brings a lot of economic dilemmas, most times a lot of people want to earn hugely as adults what they freely loved doing as teenagers or young people because growing into adulthood means that one slides into responsible, the obligation of tax, the necessities of paying rent, the expense of raising a family and the cycle of taking care of the people who once took care of you.
However, does this disuade you from the idea that you should earning for what you loved doing?
Maybe, maybe not. As humans, we frequently chase wealth, fulfillment and happiness all in one, but the many times we have failed to own it all have somewhat given us contrasting ideas that maybe it isn't meant to be so. This isn't to say that there aren't people who haven't achieved this holy grail. For example, my father had a failed marriage, a shitty finance life and never attained any height of internal and external fulfillment and he while he wasn't exactly opinionated about this, I always felt he had the belief that a man isn't meant to have it all. Good marriage, good money, good career and success.
However, inasmuch as I've had countless failures in my love life, this hasn't changed my orientation that a man is meant to have it all. Not to deviate into behavioral psychology or the aspects of perception theory, Alexander Song was a footballer who talked about having to leave the football club he loved to play at, one that would have him on the bench but pay him handsomely well. He felt that making the decisions to go for money was motivated by the fact he has come to understand that Money is a definitive factor in a man's life, and it demeans other factors because one's needs are always present in their life and every day decisions.
Motivation: The Reward For Invariably Doing Well
I could remember how I was passionate about education when I was younger, get good grades and all, there was an internal derivation of happiness that was built on the basis of nothing. The moment I realized that I could earn more on gigs for bringing more certificate to take table, education then became a means to an end, which took away the original motivation I had towards it. In life however, we should come to understand that there are things we naturally love doing without getting paid for it, but then we can argue that at one point in time, we'd love to earn from what we love doing as it is a validation on our abilities to eschew value.
No one wants to be unfulfilled in their career or profession or hobbies whatsoever, so originally we build an internal love towards these profession in other to be good at it. However, we should understand that the Overjustification Effect comes in when, for example, we're owed salaries, earn poorly and end up hating what we initially love because it couldn't bring us the desired fulfillment. Nevertheless, we can go for things that offers some level of assurance for doing them well, especially in the long-term.
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My name is @Josediccus, a young Nigerian entrepreneur who is a Vlogger, A Psychologist, Poet, Sports Writer/Analyst & Personal Finance Coach. I'm using my contents as a process to create shared meaning as well as create expressions through which people on/off hive can relate. I believe content is a process to be enjoyed and relished and I'm up for any collaborations in my field stated above. Cheers
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Money + Fulfillment = Ikigai
Sourece
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Never heard of ikigai sounds Japanese, feels that the equilibrum of passion, vocation, money and all.
Thanks for dropping by @nathamars, im grateful
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I think as we grow up we start to recognize what is needed to live our daily lives. After all if you don't have your basic needs solved (housing and food), it is very tough to think about anything else. At least when you were a kid, you had someone else taking care of that situation for you so you didn't have an idea of how much you need to live.
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That's the point, but as one grew older it's difficult to still place a lot of Standpoint, since many phenomenon about ones lives eventually changes.
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I really like your Alex Song example (even though I do not support Arsenal), but it reminds me of the saying I hear a lot
I understand that the pressures of adulthood make us do a lot more for happiness that sometimes we substitute wealth for happiness, but in a world where money makes the world go round it seems like we had better found a way to make wealth or the world would take us on a joy ride.
Thank you, I liked the Alex Song's allusion because it was definitely the perfect one indeed. Paints the topic quite well. In general, thanks for dropping by.
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One can be wealthy and feel unfulfilled ,I believe that fulfilment also comes from contentment.. .I want to be fulfilled , I just want to live a life of comfort and peace... not compulsory that I must be really wealthy to achieve that....
You're right, but thats not the whole point, its more about a general socioeconomic concept that tends to talk about how a majority of people would behave towards the Overjustification effect. Its me analysing this and relating it to my personal experience.
Yeah I perfectly understand the angle you are coming from...how is your weekend going
Its all good, yours?
Going well..thank you..
This is true even in online activities. I've seen people who would debate for hours on centralized social media. But put them where they can earn, and you're lucky to hold their attention for a half hour. I don't get it...
This isn't related to the post but it'll pass this once
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Oh sorry for not tying it in properly. I meant that they would usually have a real passion for the activity. But then when a financial reward was added, the interest in doing it for enjoyment suddenly disappeared.
I was explaining this to someone the other day. The responsibilities that come with being an adult can sometimes be so overwhelming that even the thing you are so passionate about starts becoming a job/work/task you slowly resent.
Oya, come let me hug you first 😄. It will work out in the end.
You made several points especially in light of the Overjustification Effect that affects all in some way or the other @josediccus
Thanks for dropping by as always. Yeah, sometimes these socioeconomic phenomena gets me to analyse a whole lot and at the end of the day, i'm happy I didn't end up contradicting or over-emphasizing.
I'm glad you've enjoyed this one.
This is probably me, i've loved a lot of things, like working for less or just offering free services to people but later I got to realise these things wouldn't even take care of my real-time responsibilities.
Loool thanks, im taking a break for now, im probably emotionally drained.
How are you doing?
Oh dear, I understand the need to take a break.
I am in recovery. I injured my throat from a concert I performed in. Plus the weather in PortHarcourt keeps messing with me- Sore throat, and cold symptoms.
And How are you really?
Whooooo I didn't know you performed at concerts, you have a great voice but I didn't know it was even official or so. Hopefully you take a step towards recovery.
As for me, i'm just hanging in there.
Lol. I do and I actually get paid sometimes.
Hang in there @josediccus
It usually comes together when we least expect it 😉...
Life being life has its ways beyond our control sometimes...
Nothing but the truth...
At first, we had a passion for what we do and we carry it out with enthusiasm. But in the long run, change is inevitable.
Just like you let out when one is not fulfilling those things they aspired for in that thing they love doing, to divulge the certainty, the person might be pessimistic and inclined to deviate to another bid in other to live a fulfilled life not minding abandoning the thing they love doing.
However, im insinuating, if what you love doing does guarantee a better future for you, isn't better to deviate?
this is really amazing, your words are very wise and touching, what you said made me realize, thank you for sharing
This is an inspiring piece, thanks for sharing.
Great points! I really pulled back from HIVE, but I realized I should be earning for what I love doing and I am back!
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STOPI must say this is a well balanced write up.
Usually, fulfilment is mixed in a lot influences especially as one passes through life. At some point, it may even be difficult to really decipher why you do what you do.
When we start asking questions such as "Would you still do it if you had no other source of income?", "Would you do it if your life was at risk?", the definition of fulfilment might change a lot.
Fulfilment more often than not for most people is inadvertently "coated" with clauses and conditions.
As an individual who thinks that one should work to live, and not the other way around, it's pretty difficult to live in a contradiction where you know more money will give you more peace of mind and the possibility to retire early from the classic job schedule, and maybe live a more peaceful life, to enjoy more of what makes you happy.
Most of the times it's a balancing act between all of those factors, and as we age, we tend to change the way we see things moving forward.
"Having it all" is also a state of mind, some people just can't get enough, and that's how they will never be happy, no matter what and how much they have and accomplish.