An article published by www.expensivity.com laid out the annual Satisfying Salary level or income satiation of each country, where the Philippines is clocked at 28,000 US Dollars or 1.3 million in PH currency.
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| "cash-coins-money-pattern" by Pixabay is licensed under CC0 |
Happiness is the highest level of success
The data was the result of the study conducted by scientists from Purdue University. According to the study, Filipinos need to earn around 1.3M annually or around 108K per month to stay satisfied and happy.
The recent social media news about a fresh grad candidate, who declined a 37K/month starting salary for an entry-level position, might not be an impossible situation to imagine after all. Given that you need at least a 100K to be satiated income-wise.
For the majority, having a 37K/month salary for your first job is a good deal. But when you step back and look at the big picture, a huge chunk of this will go to taxes and deductions and the remaining amount may not be as huge. Whatever the real reason for declining the offer, the fact remains that an individual's happiness level can't be solely determined by his/her income. But it does not stop you, however, to look for satisfying careers that pay well.
So what really makes you happy?
Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs - The 5 stages of happiness
American Psychologist Abraham Maslow tried to define this problem and proposed the hierarchy of needs.
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| Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs |
In order to be truly happy, you need to satisfy the following:
- Basic Needs
- Psychological Needs
- Self-Fulfilment Needs
Income (Financial Security) is under the Safety Needs of the hierarchy, which is under Basic Needs. So, even if you are earning 6 to 7 figures a month, you can still be unhappy if the other needs are not satisfied.
You could not deny the fact that having a lot of money has many advantages. This is the reason why you work hard and smart to accumulate this paper with value. Depending on how you use money, it can make you prosperous or miserable. It can buy happiness, but the type of happiness that can be bought is just a temporary one.
Takeaway
Achieving true happiness or to put it in another way, fulfilling our God-given purpose is the only true way for one to live a complete and happy life. But pursuing this kind of life is easier said than done. Many have attempted but were riddled with challenges along the way and eventually gave up. However, those who persevered were rewarded and blessed and are now living the life that they wanted.
