I’ve been in a lot of conversations lately where people are making career decisions, and the same question keeps coming up in different forms: is this worth it?

Worth it financially. Worth it in terms of stress. Worth it for where they want to be in five years. Worth it for their sanity.

And I keep noticing that the answer is almost impossible to figure out until you’re clear on one thing: what you actually want to be paid in.

For some people, that’s a straight line to money. And let’s be honest, no matter what we say, we all like money, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I spent parts of my own career chasing the dollar, and I don’t regret it. Knowing that money was the priority helped me make clear decisions. I wasn’t confused about the trade-off because I wasn’t pretending the trade-off didn’t exist.

But money isn’t everyone’s currency, at least not all the time. And for a lot of people, especially in tech, where the money stops being the primary motivator, pretending it is leads to a particular kind of quiet misery. The kind where you’re being paid well and still dreading Monday.

So what else is there?

  • Influence. Some people find deep satisfaction in being in the room where decisions get made. Not credit necessarily, just proximity to the epicenter. If that’s you, a role with a good salary but no seat at the table will hollow you out over time, no matter what the number is.
  • Impact. Others need to see the difference their work made. Not in a theoretical way, like actually. The deal that closed, the customer who stayed, the product that shipped. If that feedback loop disappears, so does the motivation.
  • Energy. Some people’s currency is simply enjoyment, of the room, the people, the feeling that today was a good day. This one gets underestimated. Work that’s genuinely fun, with people you actually like, is worth more than a lot of job descriptions account for.

And then there’s the stepping stone. The role that isn’t quite where you want to be, but gets you there. This currency is often misread as settling. To me it isn’t, just like catching a train to catch a plane doesn’t make plane travel a poor option. It’s an investment in yourself if you’re doing it with intention.

None of these are more valid than the others. The only thing that matters is being honest with yourself about which one is actually yours. Because if you’re chasing impact but taking jobs for money, you’ll be comfortable and restless. If you’re wired for influence but stuck in an execution role with no visibility, the pay rise won’t fix it. If you need energy and you’re surrounded by people who drain you, no amount of purpose will get you through the year.

Know your currency. Then make decisions that actually pay you in it.

Be Awesome. And Nice.