Why Jobs Are Privilege And You Should Not Take Them For Granted

If you are working in any capacity to earn a living, consider yourself privileged.

Hear me out!

I have been working in a corporate setup where I work from 10–7. Yes, in my country, we work for 9 hours a day. I am doing the kind of work I have always wanted to do. I also make a decent living due to the work I do.

But things were not always like this.

Growing up, I saw my father’s friends come to our house for a visit in their luxurious cars. They had their own businesses which they started from the ground up, and they were highly passionate about them. My father used to work as an administrator for a private firm after serving 18 years in the Navy. Working as an admin (a non-technical role) and raising me and my sister with a good education was not an easy job for my dad. My mom also worked for a few years, but she had to retire for some personal reasons.

When my dad lost his job due to the 2008 financial crisis, it took a toll on my family. I was still studying at school. Jobs were difficult to get at the time. He was in defence, hence he used to get a retirement pension, but that was just not enough to sustain a family of 4. We, as a family, sacrificed a lot.

In fact, my parents had to sell some properties and foreign memorable items we had as souvenirs brought from other countries during my father’s travels when the Navy participated in joint exercises with other countries. This was done just to keep up with the lifestyle of me and my sister and our education. They didn’t want anything to affect our studies.

I witnessed all these things. I understood the importance of work and the impact it can have on a family when it is not there. My dad was jobless for at least 2 years. My mom was also not getting any work. My parents had emptied all our savings by the time I was admitted to an engineering college. Eventually, my father got a job, but we were under huge financial debt.

Thankfully, when I got a software development job with a US-based company, the first thing that came to my mind was to repay the loans that had accumulated over the years. Although I have paid almost 75% of it, it is still there.

I know, we all crave the freedom of mind and personal space, while bullshitting corporate life. Not everyone is privileged enough to leave their paying jobs to pursue their passion. Well, it at least pays you on time.

One more good thing is that I love my work. Now, I feel so privileged to work from home (all thanks to the pandemic) with my family around me. It is important that you work where you are happy. If you love your job and you stay with your family, then what else can you ask for?

Unfortunately, not everyone gets to choose their desired profession. In fact, not everyone gets employed. As per statistica.com, the global unemployment rate was the highest in 2020 when compared to the last 10 years.

However, we live in the era of the internet, where people can earn a decent living if not luxurious, harnessing its power. All you need is a successful mindset and desired skills to excel.

I know people who never went to school but are earning 5x than what I make through digital marketing and/or blogging. I get so inspired to read their stories and share them with my family and friends.

I also know people who left their corporate life to pursue their long time passion for writing and are extremely happy and satisfied. When Jeff Bezos quit his position at D. E. Shaw and started Amazon in his garage in 1994, after developing its business strategy on a cross-country trip from New York City to Seattle, he did just that.

Having a job I love gave my family, stability and freedom to choose. It fulfils me and gives me a purpose. It also allowed me to pursue my passion for writing without having to worry about money.

I understand the value of money that comes from work. Nothing in this world is free, and when things aren’t going well, no one will step up to help (most of the time). This is something I’ve learned from our experience. Hence, it is important that you do not take your work for granted.