Self-Worth vs. Money

Self-Worth vs. Money

Written by: Dave DeRose

                Self-worth and money has been a battle of mine for years.  This includes having passion for my vocation versus making the most possible amount of money.  You see, I am a teacher. Everyone knows how teachers get paid.  What people don’t know is the turnover rate in education is atrocious. In the first five years around 48 percent of new teachers leave.  I have seen this first hand.  I have to say that the pressure to leave is intense.  In order to make ends meet, I have held a variety of odd jobs. I have done everything from landscaping, working the front desk at a gym, sold supplements, and worked my way up to personal training. I found that a lot of the same skills that made me successful as a teacher also made me successful in other facets of life.

                I was ready to quit teaching.  I was frustrated. I could give you a list of frustrations I had with education at the time but it would serve no purpose.  All that is important is that I was unhappy. I loved my students and my job but there was something missing; meaning. I had an incredible out, something I have proven to myself that I could be successful at, personal training. Then I began to rationalize even more why I should quit.  I was still helping people. I was helping them to lose weight, gain fitness, or achieve something they couldn’t without my knowledge.  My clients were engaged. They were motivated. I am an extremely good arguer. I could argue why one penny is better than another.  I was building my case to leave education.

                There was something missing from my life. The potential increase in income made me salivate.  I wanted to stop having multiple jobs… work less, make more.  I thought it would bring me happiness. Then something unexpected happened to me.  Something that would change my life forever.  It would give me purpose, direction, and above everything, a sense of contentment in my current state. I found God.  When I stopped putting my interests and desires first and started putting my troubles on God, He changed my heart and then my mind.  I went to school with a completely different attitude.  My students noticed a difference, noting how happy I seemed (and these are seventh graders so that was especially amazing).

                I stopped thinking about what I wanted for myself and started praying for what God wanted for me.  I know I make less money.  I know that not everyone looks at what I do as a successful career. I don’t care.  I am happy.  I know I am making a difference.

                Since this new found purpose that was God given, I have had a completely different mindset when thinking about my future.  I enrolled in grad school. I am working on a degree in educational leadership.  My goal now is to, hopefully, be a school leader and to make as deep of an impact as I can in the lives of students and other teachers.

                Money has its place in life. Obviously, you need a certain amount to survive.  It is when we mix pride with income that trouble arises. I wanted to be able to do things I saw my friends doing. I felt that my skills and talent deserved more money.  I felt like I was owed. I wanted, I wanted, I wanted.  My thoughts had very little to do with my purpose, my impact, my legacy as a person and as a Christian. When I put God first, my life was incredibly enriched. I went from wanting to build my own kingdom, to building His.  Mine will fade away, but His will live forever. When approaching any vocation, pray for God to give you a purpose. If you have His guidance, money becomes a bonus in whatever you end up doing… no matter the amount.