A man died on a DC train on his way to work on Monday. His body remained undiscovered for 5 hours, as the train completed two end-to-end runs of the red line. Since then the coverage has focused on why he wasn’t found for so long, with the train operators being suspended and then allowed to return to work as it’s not actually Metro policy to check trains for dead bodies. That policy is now being changed.
As I read this sad story Metro policy wasn’t what I was thinking about. I couldn’t help but remember seeing Deepak Chopra speak at the State of the World Forum in 1995, when I was an impressionable and awed 16 year-old, and him asking us if we could guess the day of the week most people die of heart attacks. Can you guess what it is? That’s right: Monday. And what time would you imagine most people drop dead? Yep, 9am. On their way to work. It seems some people dread their job so much they are literally dying to avoid it. And that’s a very sad thing. We spend too high a proportion of our time at work to loath it as so many seem to do. Since then I have instinctively, devotedly, pursued work that inspires me, that I feel makes a difference.
In thinking about this I discovered more corroborating evidence: more people die in the first week of the year than any other (statistics from the Centers for Disease Control). In other words, immediately after Christmas and New Years, which are usually spent with family and friends and on a break from work, only to be hit with the reality of going back to their 9-5.
I met someone today interviewing for my job at Ashoka. She currently works for the World Bank, where salaries are generous (and untaxed). She knows that in coming to Ashoka she would be taking a very significant pay cut. And she’s okay with that, because she’s not happy in her current role and needs something different; the chance to be more entrepreneurial and adventurous, less micro-managed and confined. I completely agree with her, your personal growth and happyness are worth so much more than money. Life is too short, too precious, too amazing to spend 40+ hours a week doing something you hate.
Finding and following your passions often involves risk, failures and set-backs. But the greater risk is that you will never take a chance on finding and following your passion, never find work that fulfills and inspires you, that you will instead end up trapped in a job you hate, waking up on Monday morning wishing you could be anywhere other than on your way to work, and one day being taken to another place entirely.
I used to work for a PR agency and hated what I did so much that each morning I would dry reach. I told the girls in the ofiice and they said “oh honey we all do that!”. My birthday was that week so I quit and haven’t looked back since. Life’s too short!
> Life is too short, too precious, too amazing to spend 40+ hours a week doing something you hate.
It’s been the theme of many conversations since we returned from the States.
I think it’s mostly about how the modern workplace is constructed – completely artificial environments, stuck at a desk, too many distractions, too many pointless meetings, not enough getting done.
Makes you wonder why anyone chooses this at all?
Hi Tom,
“We spend too high a proportion of our time at work to loath it as so many seem to do.” (Tommy D; 2010)
I appreciate what you’re saying here. However,the problem is that it is a privilege to be able to love what you do. Most of the work that happens in the world is not a matter of choice, it’s a matter of simply having to get the job done to survive. I’m not only speaking of the third world but most of the work done in the first world. If I decide not to do the mundane, unrewarding job that I may be doing, then who does it? Someone else has to pick up the slack. Someone always has to do the “shit” jobs, the jobs that are boring and unfulfilling.
I have disliked going to work for most of my working life and I agree with you that i can change that, but it still doesn’t mean that the job I was doing will not have to get done by someone.
I feel this is a western middle class dilemma, ie-”Should I not be doing a job that is more satisfying?” . I don’t think most people have the time or the perspective to be privileged enough to worry about this sort of a question.
Cheers,
Matty A.
Ps-please spank me if I have entirely missed the point of what you are saying.
We have a movie in Australia that captures what I want to say in response: “Kenny” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfPpTeR_760
But basically if you’re not passionate about what you do, you won’t be as productive as someone who is. Also, when it comes to the really crappy part, you won’t be motivated to get through it and you’ll either quit or do a bad job at it anyway. When you’re passionate about purpose then you will do the crap jobs as they are part and parcel with the awesome bits.
This situation can however be improved by “how” you do your work, e.g. a pretty mundane job but an amazingly fun work environment combats it, good working hours and flexibility etc.
What’s crap work to some is great for other people and the overall aim would be to match as any of those people and jobs as possible.
Matthew, just keep in mind that one man’s “sh*t” job is another’s dream career. I have a friend who cleans houses for a living because she loves cleaning. It makes her feel good. I, on the other hand, hate housework. I would consider housekeeping a “sh*t job”.
I believe that it is not a privilege to do work you love. It is your responsibility to the world. Otherwise, what’s the point of dreams and goals?
I do not want to be that person dying to get out of her job.