Why do we work?

Why do we work?

Some common examples include:

-People work because they have to bring in the bacon so to speak

-Because the job reflects the price they feel they deserve

-Because the act of having work brings them security

-Because if we didn't work we would have to face our emptiness

-More rarely, but it happens, is people having no conditions at work, and just work, as each working opportunity is not for their own self gain but to serve others

So in a nutshell most people work in the betterment of their lives.

If work does not seem to better their lives, then work is seen as less important than other means.

Work also is seen as something that we want to free ourselves from eventually to fit into the picture of being successful. Success in life is the financial freedom of not needing to work, but often than not when I see people who are in the comfort of being financially free, and hence don’t need to work, they don’t seem to reflect true vitality or a spark for life, so why is that?

Do we dare to question whether the model that we have strived so hard to achieve for our whole lives, is it really it?

I have never sought for so-called financial freedom in life. Correct, I could probably appreciate the value I bring in work much more. But I don’t feel true to charge an insane amount to consolidate one’s value, nor does selling out my health in exchange of work feels true. There are no whistles and bells in what we offer, but you get much much more than you or I could ever imagine. Simple and straightforward magic-happens-in-front-of-your-eyes-kind-of-work every time.

Yes I may never retire, I may work till my last breath. But for the last 10 years every time I work, I bring true vitality to each work situation. And I’ll continue to work this way for the rest of my life.

Although the world may sell us the picture of being in the comfort of retirement. When I wake up and work in purpose, my body is sustained with an unending vitality that kills all lethargy, which is the number 1 epidemic in the world, whether we are 20 or 80 years old. I truly love to work!

Photo: Jeffrey Chan Workshop