Do we need to love work?
It is rare to find the meaning of life in the work you do. Your career can bring a sense of personal fulfillment, but it is primarily a means to create and support your life, not BE your life. So why do so many of us suffer the illusion that we must fall in love with every aspect of our job? Our employer? Our boss?
We spend an inordinate amount of time at work, sometimes to the point where we bring work home. We should enjoy it as well as the people we work with, but love? No. I love my family. I love my friends. I love my community. That’s the stuff I love.
Love the value
I happen to also love what I do, but not because it’s my life. It’s because every now and then, someone learns something that changes their quality of life. It changes the value of someone’s experience.
I love hearing when someone finds a job that allows them to make up for missed house payments. Or when someone lands a promotion they’ve been working toward for years. I love empowering other people and watching the impact on their lives.
Your job should never become your life. Your work is a vehicle that supports the rest of your life. It makes your lifestyle possible, i.e. where your kids go to school, the neighborhood you live in, what college your child will attend, how you spend your time outside of work, the charities you are able to support, and the list goes on.
You don’t have to “love” your job, just pick something that doesn’t go against the grain of you you are. Pick something that lets you grow and evolve. Love what your job does for you.
Need something to spice up your career trajectory? Check out our free course “Confident Career Moves” on Teachable.com.