Lamenting about having to work has been going on for a long time. In recent days it seems to have gone from mere drudgery to acting like it's a conspiracy from "the man."

I'll admit I don't understand the context. Do people perceive there was a beautiful time in the past when people didn't have to work? They woke up with food and water available to them, growing on trees or magically provided by fairy godmothers? They magically had clothes and shelter and safety? And they spent their days lounging and writing poetry or swimming. Or just petting their cat.

History would seem to show that from day one, humans, like animals, woke up and went to work. They hunted, they gathered, they built shelters and they crafted weapons or snares/fishing poles/nets to protect or provide for themselves.

The day was full and spent outside amongst other humans, helping each other provide the necessities for life. There was no fairy godmother.

How did that expectation change?

Regardless of the economy or inflation, a time has never existed where a human didn't work to provide what they needed for life.

We see that throughout time people divvied up tasks that better suited their skills and joys.

• Betty is an incredible shot and loves tromping around in the woods hunting animals and gathering food. Let her do that.

• Joe loves nothing better than to hang by the creek all day and he has a knack for catching fish. Let him do that.

• Arnold could sit by the rock forever and craft clothing out of about anything you can think of. Let him do that.

• Pam seems to want to talk with and understand people and they come to her for counsel. Let her do that.

Everyone is doing something most fitting for them. It's still work. There are still frustrations and challenges.

• Betty doesn't enjoy rain and hunting when it’s wet. Dry or snow is ok. And spiders. She's never liked them. This gets old sometimes.

• Joe fears predators and they often come to the water to drink. He sometimes struggles with anxiety around this.

• Arnold loves his work but is often frustrated with criticism from those who receive his clothes when they have no idea what goes into it.

• Pam has a lot of people who come to her who just won't listen, they want to talk endlessly with no resolution.

No meaningful work is fun and play at all times.

If there was no one else on planet Earth, you would still wake up and do work. To live. That is not a conspiracy. That is not a curse or a bummer. Animals do the same thing. They hunt for food, create a place to live, birth and raise young, and flee from predators. Welcome to life. Beautiful life.

My father wrote the book, 48 Days To The Work & Life You Love. He grew up on a farm and found little joy in it. He later pursued work more fitting to his skills and desires and wanted to share with the world that they too could find work they "loved." The title is catchy and helped sell over 2 million copies. And got hordes of people to come forward and find work more fitting to them. Did they or even my Dad "love" every minute of their work? No. Of course not. Replace love with:

• Fulfillment

• Purpose

You don't love every minute, but overall, you find great joy, fulfillment, and purpose in it.

Today there are endless work opportunities and far more options to find work at something you care about. Something that has meaning and purpose to you. No work will be all fun and play, but it can land on the spectrum closer to either dread or joy.

Most, if not all people I find lamenting about work and treating it like some government conspiracy, are doing things they find little value in. At the end of the day, they don't really see how they are contributing to other's lives, which is the core of where we find purpose.

Even people who are doing tasks that are ok or even fun, who work with people they enjoy, and who have decent schedules and income, if at the end of the day, they don't see how they are truly contributing value to the world, work ends up depressing and feeling aimless outside of making a buck.

Conversely, people who feel their work is helping mankind in some way, feel it's an offering they would almost do for nothing. And you don't have to be Mother Theresa to feel this. I've known people who sell bicycles and feel they are making the world a better place and thus feel great purpose in what they do.

It has me thinking that the secret sauce to my Dad's 48 Days To The Work & Life You Love message is actually about finding work where you feel an exchange of love. You give and receive love in the exchange of your product and service and their money. Whether you are feeding the homeless or selling bicycles.

If you aren’t looking forward to your work. If every day is Groundhog Day. Consider what work would feel like an act of love.

WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT DRIVES YOU,
WHAT YOU WANT BECOMES POSSIBLE.

#4 Perfectionism w /Kevin Miller | The Big Idea, The Big Takeaway & The Big Action
#3 Perfectionism w/ Jared Angaza | How To Free Yourself From The Prison Of Comparison
#2 What Drives Perfectionism Expert Thomas Curran
#1 Perfectionism w/ Thomas Curran | How To Let Go Of Perfectionism And Free Up Our Progress

Subscribe & Review

The best way to support this show is to Rate, Review, Subscribe, Share, and Comment on the various platforms.
Apple + YouTube + Spotify

Explore KevinMiller.co →