Thoughts on work

I used to think I’d be OK just working a standard 9 to 5 job, and having time on evenings and weekends to do what I actually want. My mindset was: work hard, get through school, find a job, and you’ll be happy. As long as I earned a stable income, a job was just a job.

As it turns out, that was a very narrow outlook. Happiness, after all, lies in your day-to-day experience. How you’re spending time on a routine workday matters just as much as when you’re on vacation. My mindset now is: find a job you love. This means doing work that’s meaningful and rewarding, and with people I like being around.

I have a lot of skills and interests. But I realize that I can’t pursue everything I’m interested in—there’s just not enough time. The way our society is set up, it’s optimal to choose one profession, and learn to do it well.

Choosing the right path is hard. Only a select few get it right on their first try. For most people, it takes considerable exploration to find your purpose.

For me, when I look at the big picture, what is it that really separates me from other people? I believe it’s my creative ability. Always has been, ever since I was little. I’d be doing a disservice to myself by working at a place where I’m not able to fully exercise this. Creativity needs to be nurtured, or it will diminish. I felt that happening last year, so I got off the train.

There will always be a bias towards choosing certain careers for monetary reasons or because of perceived status. They’re factors, for sure; no one can deny that. But they shouldn’t drive your intentions.

I’ll no longer do something just because it’s what’s expected of me. Because in that case, I’d be living someone else’s life, and not my own.