Stephen Fry: Worst Career Advice

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT BIG THINK:

Smarter Faster™
Big Think is the leading source of expert-driven, actionable, educational content -- with thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, we help you get smarter, faster. S​ubscribe to learn from top minds like these daily. Get actionable lessons from the world’s greatest thinkers & doers. Our experts are either disrupting or leading their respective fields. ​We aim to help you explore the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century, so you can apply them to the questions and challenges in your own life.

Other Frequent contributors include Michio Kaku & Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

Join Big Think Edge, to gain access to a world-class learning platform focused on building the soft skills essential to 21st century success. It features insight from many of the most celebrated and intelligent individuals in the world today. Topics on the platform are focused on: emotional intelligence, digital fluency, health and wellness, critical thinking, creativity, communication, career development, lifelong learning, management, problem solving & self-motivation.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Big Think here:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[simonpurist]

The worst career-advice is choosing money over passion.
You can always find a way to make enough money to live on, by doing something you love; but you can never get back time wasted on something you don't.

[sunonthewindow]

I told my school's Career Adviser I like books and writing, and he suggested I become a librarian...

[Gaaaaaamer]

0:12 Once he said that. I finally felt as if I can relate to someone. I hate when I tell someone what I want to do or the things I want to do or become 'cause they asked me and the first thing they bring up is "Oh, you can make a lot of money off/from that". For crying out loud I could care less about the money. You pick a job or career because its something you like or love not because it pays a lot of money. Money doesn't make the world go 'round, people do.

[kalleskit]

This is why I've decided to dedicate my life to playing rugby, even though I know it may not pay off as well as being a banker.
I fucking love rugby.

[IchigoPinkuStar]

The thing is that Stephen is a comedian, and that's a thing a lot of people would say : "that doesn't gives any money". He worked hard to get there, because he is in love with what he's doing. He wasn't worried about money, he was worried about doing something he loved. And then the money came because he's really good at what he does. That's how it works.

[LoveScion]

Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Learn it. Live it. Love it.

[mgr]

The only times carer advices turned out to be disatrous for me was when I followed them. It's my goddam career, I might use a little help but I don't need no bloody advice from people who are not in my place. 28 years in Rock and Roll and still struggling.

[simonpurist]

Another point, is never choose something for how it looks, compared to how you LIKE it.
It's common to have a sense of passion for something that looks good to others, but that you actually hate; and that runs thin very quickly, since the others aren't the ones stuck doing it.

[grannps]

I don't think that Stephen Fry was trying to say that money doesn't matter, I believe he was instead suggesting that it shouldn't be considered the highest priority, even when considering a job. Maybe he's just trying to remind us that money isn't always worth the price you pay for it -- and that there is certainly a price for it.

[morgazmisback]

No more room in his head for knowledge. He is evolving!

[IchigoPinkuStar]

I didn't knew that. Thanks. Then you're right in that part " His advice on not following the money is easily made." But you have to remember that not everyone born in this way, and we have seen people became greater 'cause of their love and talent. I think we should try to make what we love even when we don't have the safety of money.

[AvielMenter]

And that's a valid point. I don't want to suggest that talents and ambitions should be ignored, just that there are other legitimate considerations.

[Cocotte]

"Comedian"?
Ignoring the writer, producer, author, scholar, presenter, actor successful job titles let alone what he does in his spare time. He's a national treasure AND worth listening to because he has a varied and skilled career/life

[whitrulzes]

That's the thing about entertainment (Films, music). Everyone thinks it's great fun but to do it professionally takes an enormous amount of hard work. If you still enjoy it when you're working hard then you're doing film for the right reason.

[Chalidriform]

This has nothing to do with poverty or wealth - he's stating that given two jobs of similar value where the main difference is a bit more cash, consider the other benefits that don't translate into cash - i.e. opportunities for growth, greater satisfaction, etc. Some benefits don't translate into cash, they're more about peace of mind and sanity. That's great advice.

[RantingRamsay]

Stephen Fry is just so frickin' awesome...

[rich]

Stephen would probably blush and deny it, but he does have some of the qualities of Oscar Wilde, brilliant conversationalist and story teller (at least his own stories).

[Ascordigan]

If you have money it seems trivial, true. But I think if you have a choice between a job you love that pays enough for you to live without fear of poverty, and a job you don't like that pays for a nice house and a car, the job that pays more is a bad choice. The richer you are, the more things you can do, yes, but with a job you like I think you'll have a higher quality of life overall. But yes, poverty is so soulcrushing you should definitely get above a certain point first.

[LadyAryun]

I dated a guy for 8 years who didn't have those things. Never bothered me one moment. I enjoyed being with him and that was all that mattered. And quite frankly, if they're 'friends' they wouldn't give you shit about it if you're happy and content. It's not their business.

[bigbobabc]

it's easy to say money doesn't matter when you're considering a 200k vs 150k sponsorship deal.

but when your joe blogs and your considering 20k vs 25k, that's the difference between being able to give your family a nice holiday, buy your kids nice clothes, make life that much easier for your family so you can enjoy life.

i think steven fry is extremely intelligent, but when you come from a background like his i don't think he should say how many doesn't matter, as he's never had to struggle.