Greed, otherwise known as one of the seven deadly sins, impedes upon our ability to be fulfilled.
In other words, those people you know who have spent their lives accumulating wealth are happier, why? Their lives are better, why? Life isn't about money, winning, having it all. I believe it is about balance, love, and doing the right thing.
As a Gen X'er, I have frequently found myself looking at the older generation (The Boomers), and saying, what are they doing and how short sighted. They shipped the jobs oversees to make extra money. They are draining social security without thinking about the next generation. They've taken CEO salary levels to insane levels. They ignored Mother Earth. Everything they have done seems to have been focused on putting more money in their pockets.
Other Gen X'ers I know have thrown in the towel. They are looking for balance in their lives. They want to make sure that the work they are doing is more than putting money in their pockets, it is also fulfilling. Whether this mentality is grown out of necessity or different values or something else is an interesting study.
The United States has outsourced most major manufacturing, which has left us to be a nation of service providing businesses. The predicted growth can happen in industries that provide a direct service, one that cannot easily be shipped off-shore to cheaper nations.
Services provided both to business and services supplied to people might be seen as somewhat recession-proof.
So rather than chase after the almighty dollar, perhaps more of us will be seeing an opportunity that will allow for a balanced life, the ability to pursue doing the right thing and opportunity to love and care for one another.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
