The most scarce resource is time. Switching job would presumably require more work from me at least temporarily. I'd perhaps need to commute initially at least, for example.
I'd like to know this: if I got 2x the pay in the US, could I instead ask to work 1/2 and get the current pay level I have?
Most likely no, right? So in what way is that higher pay actually helping me pursue passions? I'd be working at least as much as I do now, and most likely more, for that money.
When exactly are those passions supposed to be pursued? When retiring? I'm pursuing that now. I have had 6-8weeks off in summer the last 10 years. I like to travel, etc.
If your passions require more money than you have, it doesn't matter that you have 6-8 weeks off. You still can't do the things you want to do. You can relax, travel (limited due to funds though), which are both nice for a while but eventually become frustrating.
My passions are expensive - too expensive unfortunately. For example I could really do with a house to build things in, but I can't afford to buy a house, so I can't build the sorts of things I'd like to build in one. And you should see the small factory I wish I could afford.
Even small stuff like attending conferences is too expensive if you can't afford the travel and tickets.
As I've gotten older I've come to see there are many situations where, if I'd had more money, things I tried to work on would have turned out very differently. That's the #1 reason I now pay more attention to income than I did for a long time, when I focused on voluntary work for what I thought was worth investing time in, with "SWE side gigs" to pay the bills.
> When exactly are those passions supposed to be pursued? When retiring? I'm pursuing that now. I have had 6-8weeks off in summer the last 10 years. I like to travel, etc.
Depending on what they are, it may have to be evenings, weekends, or when retiring.
That'a definitely a compromise. But if you don't have the money and your passion projects need money, it will probably be never.
Yes, of course the essential needs (houses, travel, expensive mountainbikes) are satisfied. There are no "if only I had X" needs, and many "If only I had more hours to use my X". I reached that point when there were too few hours and "enough" to fill those hours, long ago.
I realize things can change though. If I were to suddenly be divorced for example, I'd probably value having a much higher paying job suddenly (at the expense of less free time, more stress, less interesting work etc), to be able afford life.
> When exactly are those passions supposed to be pursued? When retiring? I'm pursuing that now. I have had 6-8weeks off in summer the last 10 years. I like to travel, etc.
This!
I'm not familiar with all European countries, and not extremely so with the US, but I think this is an important difference: Free time. 5-6 weeks paid vacation is common, and employers expect it to be used. It's often easy to get unpaid leave for whatever reason, such as studying or starting a business. Parental leave is paid and the expectation is that it will be used. Employers demanding overtime or "crunching" or whatever is generally frowned upon.
Etc. etc. My strong impression is that those "low-paid" European jobs are often a lot more balanced, with more room for life than their American counterparts.
(I do live in Scandinavia, maybe we're on the extreme end of this, but still )
I'd like to know this: if I got 2x the pay in the US, could I instead ask to work 1/2 and get the current pay level I have?
Most likely no, right? So in what way is that higher pay actually helping me pursue passions? I'd be working at least as much as I do now, and most likely more, for that money.
When exactly are those passions supposed to be pursued? When retiring? I'm pursuing that now. I have had 6-8weeks off in summer the last 10 years. I like to travel, etc.