How to live a life that doesn't require constant tension for livelihood? [closed]

Question

When I was jobless, for days I used to search for a profession that will give me a balance of relaxation, monetary solvency, education and social status in the context of my country.

Then after much effort, I got a job in a banking organization in a good position and salary. I thought the job would require only working on the desk for extremely long hours for which I was well-prepared. But now I am disturbed by its requirement for collecting customers which is a duty outside my office-hours but strongly connected to the job. I didn't anticipate this thing that much seriously before getting the job. So it turns out that the job is offering me desired advantages in my life with a cost that is uncomfortable to me.

And, in this stage of my life, I am having a feeling that people in this world are actually engaged in a significant amount of time in attaining their comforts in life but eventually is left with a little time to enjoy it.

Is it possible to live a life without these types of tensions at all?

Is it possible to give up most of the ambitions and still live a decent life?

Is it possible to earn a livelihood without facing trivial discomforts.

Answer 1

Of course it is possible to live with little stress. One of the major sicknesses of our time is that people think money makes them happy, and are constantly trying to outdo their peers. Of course, you need enough money that you don't need to constantly worry about it, but more does not help much. And looking down on others certainly doesn't make you friends. Also, many people confuse excitement with happiness - but there is a big difference between them.

If you stop again and again to take a hard look at what you feel at the current moment of your daily life, you will find out what really makes you happy. That is specific to you - nobody can tell you. Make that a lifetime projekt.

Some thoughts what that might be. Finding a job you really want to do - not just for the money - probably plays a major role. Having deep relationships to good friends is at least as important. But if you find the way to open your heart such that just a flower, a cloud, a smile or a raindrop can really touch you - that'll blow your emotional well-being through the roof. Then you don't need anything anymore, and can freely do what ever you find appropriate.

Answer 2

If you allow me, In my view your question includes contradictory elements. It is as if you were asking for a circle that is square. It cannot be done.

You have been following the 'comfort way': do as you've been told, stay in the conveyor belt, get the rewards as stated in the documents. No ethical problems with that, a lot of people take that way. Most of people, in fact. But: if you give up your free will, you give it up for everything. You cannot give it up just for the things that you like, so an established system takes care for you, but at the same time reject the parts you don't like. Either you adopt the pre-made formula, or you try to work out a new, personal, formula of your own, notwithstanding the resistance from the environment that it implies. I don't really understand what's that in-between term that you're looking for. You speak of 'ambition', but to me ambition is related to individuality, while obtaining financial security seems very high in your list of priorities, rather than developing some personal vision, moving ahead with some personal, unique project.

Of course, things do not have to be always 100% this or that: one can get a mundane job to get some financial stability in order to pursuit one's personal dream, but the 'vision' part is absent from your question, so I don't understand exactly what you're asking for. Either you decide, or get someone to decide for you. But if you take the second option, you cannot avoid to face some decisions that you won't like... Hope it makes sense.

Answer 3

I do recommend that you start reading this blog: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/

It all comes down to one aspect: financial independence. Your income doesn't have to be the defining factor in your life.

Answer 4

If you wish to get paid a high salary, the odds are that you will have to work very hard for it - as those are the jobs that will be highly sought after.

The trade off for many of a high salary is that they can do things that would otherwise be unattainable, or retire early.

For many, this is the "Rat Race" - needing to outperform your peers and hit targets in order to make the next incremental improvement in salary, role etc.

It is definitely possible to live a life without those sort of tensions - there are many people who drop out of the rat race and go to live on a farm, selling wool, for example, or a friend of mine who dropped out of a 70 hour a week professional job to go and work as a diver in a tropical paradise, however this does require a complete shift in ambition. Could you give up everything and work as a volunteer for a charity in a war torn part of the world? Many do - and it is appears to be very emotionally rewarding.

Do you want to move from material ambitions to emotional, philosophical or ethical ambitions?

Having said that, that is obviously an extreme. Where you are you should be able to look around for roles similar to yours but without the sales aspect - for a lot of hard selling roles, you either have it or you don't, so if you aren't comfortable change jobs.

I would always encourage you to have a job you enjoy. If there is an aspect you don't enjoy, look around for a similar job which doesn't have that aspect. You don't need to remain in one place so write down your needs from a job, and go find it.

You will find that every job has some trivial discomforts, but you will be able to live a decent life with decent ambitions - assuming you set these realistically.

Best of luck.