[ POLL ] Career or Family?

Post Reply New Topic

If you had to choose between (a) having a happy family for the next 20-30 years, and (b) having a successful career alone for the next 20-30 years, which would you choose?

There are only two options to this poll -- either/or -- with no option of "Both" or "Neither".  This is intentional.

You may assume that your "spouse and children" would always be happy, healthy, respectful, and trustworthy.

You may assume that your "successful career" includes wealth, respect, authority, health, and safety.

You may select only one option, but you may change your selection at any time.

If you make a selection, then please submit a comment, and if you submit a comment, please make a selection.

Thank you.

I believe in the CONCEPT of family----but not for me, for the most part.

Definitely this for me! Although "respectful" feels a bit funny unless you mean a mutual respect that I would share with them because we love each other.

My family gave me no choice.

I would choose family and no career.

"Happy family", hands down. I've thought about this before, and I actually wouldn't mind being a "househusband". It sounds perfect, actually.

Nope...I haven't a domestic bone in my body.

I'm an itinerant at heart.

I would like to spend all my time at work, rather than at home.

As long as not having a career doesn't mean having no income, then family for sure. Having a family requires $$$ to support.

I never considered myself a career type.

The woman could always be the one doing the "supporting". It's unusual, but far from unrealistic.

My sister, my sister-in-law, a female cousin of mine and a female friend of mine were all the main/only income earners during the first years of their marriages.

I prefer the options:

Fun or No Fun
Happy or not happy.

Freedom or limited freedom...

Or at a basic level
Alive or dead?....

I have been voting for Alive for years, despite others negative responses towards me...

I love looking after kids, and being around them, i am child like in my nature.
Although in all fairness, I am not sure what i would do if i had to look after kids 24/7

I am a kid, I need a lot of me time, and need time to go play... I am a pseudo musician of types
(as quiet a lot of kids are)... and a pseudo artist of types.... (as quiet a lot of kids are)...

Find jobs, relationships, real world commitments quiet stressful, although, perhaps this is
because i sleep 12 hours a day and have anxiety... sensory overload...

I am a family-oriented person. If I have no family then honestly I have nothing to live for.
I don't really care for money or status, just enough for my family and I to get by with a decent living.

To me my family's health and well-being is the most important thing in my life and if I had to sacrifice the potential for a career I would do it. I will admit raising children and doing the housework would be hard for me but I would try my best to get it done(My executive functioning is not so great...)!

I've had the opportunity to try both.

During the 10 years or so I was focusing on my career, I climbed quite high. Had I continued, I'd likely be both well-off and possibly a bit famous (at least within that circle). Then I got married and was set to start a family, which turned out to be hard. For some time I insisted on trying to get both at the same time, but it was just not possible. We tried hard with the rhythm method, but I also had weeks where I worked over a 100 hours.

Forced into a corner, I took a well-paying job with regular 9-6 hours, and hated it. I had been presenting to clients in the top floors of Kowloon skyscrapers, and now I was doing pedestrian CAD drawings. But soon the work-related stress decreased, and I got more spare time to spend with my wife. She is now 12 weeks pregnant.

I dunno if it'll stay this way, but right now, based on the premises, I voted family.

For the next 20-30 years?! I'd definitely choose family. You didn't specify it has to be a big family. One person will do. I don't need a spouse and children, just my girl.

If you asked me 30 years ago I might have said career. My career was very important to me at the time, both professionally and because of the independence it afforded me. I'm glad I chose both at the time, though.

I am actually choosing #2. My resources go into managing the family and my career is laid barren in the meantime. Priorities, I guess.

I didn't have to make a choice.

I don't have a family. I wanted 2, but I'm living 1 and I didn't even have to try that hard. It just seems to be my default. Now I'm not going to be a Mark Zuckerberg, but I'm financially stable on my own.

Now I can afford to travel, I'm not allowed too. Typical.

Over all those things I would choose good health. I don't have that.

Nice question but I guess that there are big differences regarding age and gender if it comes to the answers.