The best job in the world
We’re obsessed with finding “the right job for me” these days.
It used to be that a person would do whatever his or her dad taught them to do. Doing so was a way to keep the family name and reputation alive.
Not in all cases of course, but it was far more common than it is today.
In the modern world more emphasis is placed on pleasing our self and gratifying our ego via the vocation or profession we choose over carrying on a family legacy.
With this extreme emphasis on self-gratification in choosing our profession comes a great deal of anxiety over choosing “the right job for me.”
It’s not necessarily the right job for a person’s family, or perhaps carrying on something greater than the self.
I’m not saying that’s good or bad; that’s just the way it is. And feel free to correct me if you feel I’m mistaken in my judgment.
So in that spirit, I offer my thoughts on what is the best job for you and for me.
When you’re considering a job or profession, ask yourself, “Would I be willing to do this for free?”
I just brought up that 4-letter word that has gotten me into a bit of trouble over the years. FREE.
“Working for free opens yourself up to exploitation, comrade!”
That’s among the more sanitized versions of the complaints I’ve heard.
But hear me out.
If a musician enjoys playing music, and doesn’t expect any monetary compensation for it, why would they not pursue that as a career - assuming they’ve got the chops to succeed as a pro musician?
That’s a big can of worms in and of itself. Any musician will tell you it’s a really tough business to be in; and you shouldn’t pursue it unless you feel an unction within to do so.
On the flip side, many musicians get burned out on music chasing down every little gig they can find; always operating in a sort of survival mode, where each gig can potentially be their last.
This is my own personal paradigm; you perhaps get the picture and can apply to your own life.
I’ve recently taken a job providing transportation for disabled adults. They’re sweet souls, and I enjoy being around them. It’s not glamorous work, and I took the job because I need the money. And to be clear, I would not do it if I was not getting paid.
But on the other hand, I would gladly donate my free time to do this work, or something similar in service to these people who are often overlooked - and definitely unappreciated - by society.
My professional goal is to be a full-time publisher with a self-sustaining podcast and blog, a publishing firm employing people all over the world.
But this little job picking people up and giving a ride to a place that gives their life meaning and happiness is meaningful in and of itself. And it also affords me time and mental bandwidth to focus on building the publishing business.
I didn’t solve any problems with this post; but it maybe gave you something to think about.
And speaking of my podcast, here’s the link to it if you want to subscribe to it.