How Do You Define ‘Work’?

Summary

The article explores the concept of "work" as a passionate pursuit, rather than just a means to an end, and encourages individuals to discover and share their unique skills and talents.

Abstract

The article begins with the author's perspective on "work" as a driven, consuming activity, differentiating it from a job that is simply done for money. The author discusses the challenge of balancing work with other responsibilities, such as family and home-educating children. The author suggests that the traditional idea of picking one skill or career to excel at is limiting and encourages readers to explore various skills and careers throughout their lifetime. The article also addresses the importance of environment and community in introducing new possibilities and ideas. The author emphasizes the value of self-discovery and lifelong learning, especially for parents who may have lost touch with their individual interests. Ultimately, the author suggests that finding one's "work" or unique passion can lead to a sense of purpose and fulfillment in life.

Opinions

Work is a passionate pursuit that can keep you up at night and frustrate you when other responsibilities pull you away.
The traditional idea of picking one skill or career to excel at is limiting.
People should explore various skills and careers throughout their lifetime.
Environment and community play a crucial role in introducing new possibilities and ideas.
Self-discovery and lifelong learning are essential, especially for parents who may have lost touch with their individual interests.
Finding one's unique passion can lead to a sense of purpose and fulfillment in life.

Changing your perception can transform work into play.

Image by Antonio Gabola on Unsplash

Work in my house doesn’t seem to mean the same as for everyone else. I’m not sure where it started but I think both my partner and I have always had a different take on it. Work is the thing you do because you are driven to. It keeps you up at night and screaming in your head in frustration when regular life pulls you away from it. Your job is what you do for money, it’s nothing more than a means to an end. If you’re really lucky, you combine the two. Can you tell we’re a house of creatives?

The phrase ‘I just need to work’, is a broken record around here, and somehow there just never seems to be enough time for any of us to feel truly satisfied. I wonder though if that’s about having enough time or having an unending amount of ideas that excite you. Our frustration levels are unsurprising really as both he and I could happily sit working indefinitely, only stirring for food and water, which isn’t really something you can do with four home-educated children.

We are taught early on to pick the thing we’re going to be when we grow up, that each of us has one unique calling, one skill that we’re going to excel at, but there couldn’t be a more limiting idea. I’m a writer. I’m sure it’s part of my DNA because whether I’m physically doing it, I can feel it there waiting for me like a low hum in the background.

This doesn’t mean I haven’t been to many other things in the past and will be in the future. It doesn’t mean I won’t pick up and put down a multitude of other skills or wear different hats throughout my lifetime. Some I’ll enjoy, others not so much, but all of them will satisfy a different aspect of me and teach me so much along the journey.

The era of having one job for life, or even one area of focus for life, has long passed. The moment we shrank the world via travel and the internet, we didn’t just open ourselves up to experiences, we also opened ourselves up to the full potential of who we could be.

Children are forever wanting to try new things, chopping and changing their passions quickly as they experiment. Yet, they don’t know what to ask for next if they’ve never seen or heard of it before. This is where the environment and people around them matter so much because it’s through them that possibilities are introduced.

It is the same for us as adults, but somehow we stop experiencing new things and begin believing that we have learned what we need to, and we’ve made our choices. What if we chose to never stop learning, never stop exploring new avenues, cultures, careers, and lifestyles?

What if there were no self-imposed limits or sell-by dates on changing our lifestyles?

I’ve met so many people, parents especially, who are almost afraid to ask themselves. What do I want? What do I want to do? They spend so many years focused on the beautiful beings they have brought into the world that their individual self has become lost in the fog of all that a child needs. With the passing of decades, it's daunting to begin the journey back to themselves and find what they love and are curious to play with, something solely for their benefit and enjoyment.

But for me, that work, that thing you uncover when you dig deep down, is the kindling to the passion that carries you through life. It offers a sense of purpose and drive, which is the ultimate indicator of how healthy and vibrant the second half of your life will be. To feel truly alive and awake, as a species we need to have a why, and an external source for that will only take us so far.

So don’t tell me about your job. I want to hear about what you do. What is your work? What is the inescapable part of you you are here to share? I can’t wait to meet it.

If you are new to this platform, you can Join Medium here to read more stories