April 26, 2008
Dear Economist: Is it worth time and effort pursuing a dream career I’m no good at?
Dear Economist,
The law of comparative advantage suggests people should use their talent, but we’re also told “do what you love”. What if I have no talent for what I love? Is it worth time and effort pursuing a dream career I’m no good at?
Joy
Dear Joy,
Your letter is intelligent, but it is also opaque: you do not reveal what your dream career is. Still, a lack of facts has never been an obstacle to economic analysis, so this is no time for methodological scruples. The principle of comparative advantage states that you should focus on what you do best, relative to the standard set by everybody else. You can do accounts and use the money to hire a cook, or do cooking and use the money to hire an accountant; the correct choice depends not just on whether you are a good bean-sheller and a poor bean-counter, but on whether the world is full of better cooks and worse accountants.
There is no conflict between this principle and the idea that you should “do what you love”. Being good at a job means you will earn more; enjoying a job means you will not mind earning less. Decide whether you prefer money or fun.
But what if you are incapable of doing any job you enjoy? Well, your career is not the be all and end all. Economist Andrew Oswald believes we work too hard and under-invest in friendships. So if my career advice is depressing, ignore it and talk to your friends instead.
Questions to economist@ft.com
[…] margem sul para perceber isto) e também a distância em relação aos amigos. E afinal de contas os amigos parecem ser o factor mais importante, pelo que lanço um apelo, marquem ai um jantar todos para escolher onde comprar […]
Posted by: A importância de não esquecer os amigos « Palermice de Bacalhau | April 26th, 2008 at 1:30 pm | Report this commentJoy, you should first of all rejoice that you have these choices.
A cursory glance through western history or less pleasant aspects of the current world will find most people either forced to do something without choice (serfdom and slavery, for example) or struggling to find something, anything, that will support subsistence and provide a better life for the next generation — or even any life at all for the next generation..
You are lucky enough to be faced with choices, but either have analysis paralysis OR are determined to be miserable anyway.
My highly specific recommendation: Ask your father what you should do. Do it. You will likely discover the old man was right and find something that suits you. [substitute other trusted relative(s) if needed]
Posted by: ZBicyclist | April 28th, 2008 at 2:36 pm | Report this commentI agree with the fellow who said “Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.” However, a less paradox-minded person changed this to “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you do it well.” Really, the second version is only a variant on “practice, practice, practice”.
Posted by: Brant Boucher | April 28th, 2008 at 9:15 pm | Report this commentFurther research confirms my suspicion that the first maxim is from G.K. Chesterton, whose wit and wisdom is only weakened by the proximity of an Article of the Faith, which seems to have the same effect on his mind as Kryptonite on Superman’s strength.
Joy says she is not good at anything she loves. She should therefore ask herself if she is excellent at anything she merely dislikes.
If she is very good at something sufficiently remunerative that she hates, she might do a few years of servitude and retire early with the money necessary to do what she loves (and is least bad at) for the rest of her life.
She should bear in mind the research that suggests excentrics live four to five years longer than dull “normal” people, and are happier for the duration. The extra years of contentment may be sufficient to tip the balance towards love, and against money, but as Jane Austen points out, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t pursue both.
Posted by: Brant Boucher | April 28th, 2008 at 9:32 pm | Report this comment