I’ve had trouble sitting down to write (have skipped some days lately). I’ve also been skipping working out (what is this, post resolution February?) More specifically, I can’t quite focus in on one topic on which I might expound…. all the more reason to write – to practice the discipline of getting to the heart of something. When I get stuck like this I tend to go meta and I tend to have a lot of preamble (see this sentence and paragraph). Among the the things I’ve been mentally composing posts about are: work, things that make me happy, unconditional love, how to exact my revenge on a friend who done me wrong, becoming a wanderer, loveless relationships, why I avoid the hard work of really learning something new, etc., etc., etc.
Work
I haven’t been thinking about specific tasks or even one specific job, but instead have been thinking about the concept in general. I’m not always a fan. Did you hear that employers? I don’t necessarily like work. I suppose it has less to do with work than my objection to our obsession with work and how said obsession bleeds in to personal life. Many people, in the attempt at self improvement focus on achieving things that will help with work. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that, but with so many things to do and see in the world, why spend your free time learning how to make pivot tables or improving on your selling techniques. I think some of what bothers me is that my value system has changed over the last four or five years. I’ve placed a premium on the things that make me happy, and I get aggravated that there are no external rewards (like getting paid) for doing those things. I place a high value on being a decent person, on having good relationships, on observing the beauty in the world, on laughing, etc. None of that is recognized by the world of work. We pay CEOs really well to make good business decisions, but never focus bonuses on being a decent human being. I don’t particularly care for that system.
Don’t get me wrong…. I’ve been pretty fortunate in my various careers. I’ve advanced, and learned, and enjoyed a lot of the work that I’ve done. I like having new challenges, solving problems, getting things done. Hear that employers, work can provide a level of satisfaction. I like doing good work. I’m not sure I could ever become obsessed with work (even though it is a primary way of how we define ourselves – I feel like Emerson had something to say about this). I see lots of people who get a tremendous amount of joy from their work. They excel at it. On some level, I wonder, at what cost? Is it really true joy that their experiencing, or some conditioned version of joy that begins with “love what you do…” I think far more often, I encounter people who do not love what they do. They let the mundane day-to-day grind them down. They let lots of petty frustrations with co-workers and bosses impact their disposition. They let the stress of meetings and deadlines impact their health and relationships. To what end? Not too long ago I read a short post on LinkedIn that advised to always leave work on time. The point was simple enough. Work will always be there. There will be more work tomorrow when you get in. If you fall ill, work will not sit by your bedside. If you suddenly can’t work, a replacement will be found.
If you’re one of the few who found your calling…. I offer a cautious congratulations (even these things change). If you’re one of the people looking to find your calling… maybe look for meaning outside of work, or at the very least, don’t be fooled into thinking you’re somehow deficient because you don’t derive as much joy from work as the working world says you should. Be a skeptic. It’s in the working world’s interest to promote the virtues of work.
So if not work, then what? See What Makes Me Happy