Yes, we all know hard work pays off. But is that the only reason we should be working? What is work exactly? For some it seems like a storm of long hours, frustrations, struggle, and stress. While for others it seems productive, challenging, rewarding, and inspiring. What’s the difference between the two and why is the latter scenario more beneficial to work towards?
Work is an essential part of life. If you are of Christian faith, the absence of work is even considered a sin. People work and work and don’t have any idea of where they want to go with the work their doing. Work doesn’t stop. Even if you lose your job and are out of work, you have perhaps even more work to do to find a new job so you can work again.
Most often, we are told by others what our work is going to be. Especially when young, when our options are limited we take what we can get to pay off debts, move out of our parents’ house, and start our life as an adult. Is this the only way? Some people go their whole lives doing work for other people. A goal that trickled down from a big boss that lands on your boss’s lap and was forwarded on to you and now you have to work towards that goal blindly. What if we made our own work goals?
Would that be the worst thing in the world? Giving ourselves a goal that would lead to making money? If we know we have to work basically our entire lives, why not work for our own ideas? There are some obvious disadvantages to this path like risk, paycheck uncertainty, and even lost time. But have we seriously considered the upside?
The upside for working off your own ideas can be limitless. This is where the American dream comes from. Making or doing something that other people like can be the most rewarding feeling both emotionally and financially if done right. We know we all have to work our entire lives, so why not take a chance at this?
Vacation isn’t as great without work. Winning isn’t as great without losing. Relief isn’t as great without struggle. Maybe work is the key here. When working for yourself, you will realize all of these negative factors like long hours, mistakes, and struggle even more so rather than working for someone else. So, wouldn’t that mean we enhance the positives also? The harder we work, vacation will seem better. The more we lose, the better winning will feel. The more we struggle, the greater the feeling of relief will be when you’re out of it.
We all have to work. I would even go as far and say that work is essential for our well-being. I’ll be the first to admit that I enjoy a lazy day here and there, but that isn’t possible without work. It wouldn’t be possible to enjoy because technically if I’m never working, then I’d always be lazy. Because of this, why not take a chance?
This doesn’t mean to throw all our chips on the table. But it does mean to start slow. Easing into this new wave can be the healthiest and most productive path for most people. Taking it slow to get our feet underneath is a good method so we don’t get overwhelmed and discouraged.
There’s no doubt it can be scary. For most people including myself, we’ve never had a direct correlation of how hard and smart we work, and how much we reward we get both emotionally and financially. Sure, a day job technically pays for our work, but it’s not as direct or black and white as working for yourself. There are many factors involved in one person’s success whether we know it or not. When working for ourselves, we are the most important factor of that. We are the most influential reason whether we succeed or fail. If we have to work our entire lives, why not make it count?
Dabbl 