Comments on: Getting Work You Love, Part 1

By: Theo

Theo — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 14:41:06 +0000

I am motivated to find the job I love because of the love to my parents and my future family.

Unlike above posts, I have only been graduated with one year full time experience. And I am also the only child in my family so I have to take the financial responsibility on my shoulder alone in five years time (since my parents are retiring soon).

As such, I have to be motivated to work in order to earn a living for my parents, and also to afford my own family someday later.

That is why I am motivated, not merely because of my self-actualization, to find the work I love which I could excel and fulfill my expectation to make everyone I cared about satisfied.

By: Angela Spaxman

Angela Spaxman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:18:11 +0000

I love your comment, Mike! And I’m behind you.

When people do what they love, they naturally always contribute more to the good of the world!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:21:19 +0000

I’m driven to do what I was MADE to do. Not just to “make a living” or even worse just to “survive”.

Imagine what slaves hundreds of years ago would think if we told them today we have CHOICES, but we don’t even choose what we love! A wasted life is also motivation for me to make sure I choose wisely.

By: Gareth

Gareth — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:44:00 +0000

Key #1: Decide to get the most of your career and your life.
. . . for me, my work defined who I was, brought me peer acceptance and integrated me professionally, personally, socially and gave me purpose . . . something to believe in . . . namely in myself!
Of course, the aforementioned are, in my opinion, important, but not necessarily required in one ‘made-to-order’ and ‘convenient’ package but, depending on your circumstances, allowed to enter your life and to add value from time to time.
. .. .. but no matter what we do . . . we should try to do it with passion and an open mind . . . free from fear and unrealistic expectations . . .
. .. just my thoughts and experiences to date . .

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:55:00 +0000

Thanks for posting. I think what you're noticing is not about what you love, but what you need. Your needs have changed …you need more stability now than you did before. And your needs are necessarily more important than your loves/passions/values. You can't focus on self-actualization until you have enough to eat!
I find it helpful to first assume that you CAN have everything you want. Would you have to change some of your other assumptions in order to do that?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:18:00 +0000

Finding a job you don't hate is crucial to anyone's well-being. In my first job I reached a point where I had a knot in the stomach travelling to the office. Absolutely terrible. I left and joined a fantastic company that I still remember fondly (if only they hadn't gone bust!).
Finding a job you love is great. Most of the time though it's somewhere in the middle.
When younger enjoyment was as important as money and advancement. Switching jobs and seeking new challenges did not seem to be a problem. Now in my 40s with young kids and most probably not enough savings stashed away, I feel under more pressure to find security and stability – with the assumption that this means big corporates. But I prefer small and entrepreneurial and in fact have my own business.
Does the meaning of love change? ie. would I love my job more because I know there is a regular good pay cheque or should I love my job more because I can do my own business? Maybe it's just an age thing

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:18:00 +0000

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Chris. Sounds like you have plenty of good reasons to spend some effort and getting work you love.
Looking forward to seeing your answers to the next questions!
Cheers,
Angela

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:47:00 +0000

Good question !
I think it depends on your objectives, motivation, situation and so on, but concerning myself, I guess it is very important to fulfill all cases of my life concern; love, work, family, relationship, fun, pleasure and all of them bring me happiness !!
When one case is missing too long, I fill disoriented, disorganized, unhappy and out of the society !
Further more, one of the most important in this life style is “my job” because I spend most of my week day at work and my job gives me;
• Interest (keep my mind fresh and up),
• Pleasure (making an interesting job),
• Money (for doing or buying what I want),
• Rank (you are what you do, so if you have no job = nothing!)
• Relationship (colleagues become friends)!
Actually, what motivates me to find the work I love ?
It is to be in this right balance !!!!
Chris

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:29:00 +0000

Hi Angela
Thanks for your encouragement. I am definitely interested in knowing more about it. I think you are right esp that having a secured job can help.
Looking forward to hear more from you.
Cheers, Clara

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Hi Clara,
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! It's an interesting dilemma you face. There is always some risk in exploring the new. That's part of the attraction, in a way. If the outcome was already known, it wouldn't be worth exploring!
I want to reassure you of a couple of things. 1) You will not need to to 'start all over again' since you have gained skills and experience already that cannot be lost. 2) You can start using more creative ways to discover what you really want, and you can do that now while you are still safely employed. Let me know if you'd like to know more about that.