Money Talks - But Should We Listen?
by Ann Gibson, CCP

Recently, I counseled a 40 year-old man who thought that he might be ready for a career change. He was a successful software engineer who was well paid but not very satisfied with his life. He wasn’t really sure what the problem was, but he had considered several possibilities. Maybe he was bored with his job or maybe he was burned out or maybe he was going through a mid-life crisis. Whatever the reason, his symptoms were fatigue, sluggishness, and indifference to activities that in the past had given him great enjoyment. He didn’t consider himself to be depressed just dissatisfied – and that is what brought him to me.

My first suggestion to him was to begin a fitness program and to find an activity that he actually liked to do. While this individual appeared to already be fit, he agreed that a regular fitness program that incorporated a good nutrition component, would be a good stress reliever. Next, through a series of questionnaires and discussions, we determined that, based on his disposition, he would make a very good minister or social worker. He was astonished at this result and so was I. Moving from the high-paying computer industry to social work would require more than a leap of faith – it would require a cut in the paycheck. Would this individual be willing to give up MONEY!?

The software engineer began to tell me about how and why he was on his present career path. He shared with me that his older brother, was indeed, a minister. As a kid, in high school, he realized that his brother didn’t seem to make much money; he didn’t want to be like his brother – he wanted a moneymaking career. His high school counselor suggested that he major in computer science in college. After all, reasoned the counselor, he was good in math and computers were the way of the future. And so he embarked on a lucrative career path in the high tech industry. Yet this software engineer has always had the heart of a minister!!

In fiction, the end of this story would be that the software engineer immediately quit his job, went to seminary, and became a successful pastor. In reality, this person realized that the money that had talked twenty years ago was still talking today. He would have to ponder whether or not he wanted or needed to listen to the money. In the meantime, he could volunteer with a social agency or a church. He could investigate the possibility of working in the Information Technology area of a non-profit organization. He could talk to various clergy members about their career paths and level of job satisfaction. After considering such factors, he would then be in a better position to make this very important decision.