C6E4GF USA, New Jersey, Jersey City, Young woman working in office. Image shot 2011. Exact date unknown.
The title may sound alarmist, but it highlights how important work itself is to our lives.
Have you ever felt that helpless sensation of "not being able to do well the things you can do, and not being able to do the things you want to do"?
When I started feeling this way, it was about two or three years ago. Back then, I often looked at the people around me—they all had their own goals to strive for, seemed happy, and knew exactly what they wanted. But looking at myself, I felt unhappy every single day, and no matter what I did, I felt despised, filled with a sense of world-weariness.
Recently, a reader messaged me about a similar issue. They said, "I don't even know why I'm working anymore, and I have no idea what my interests are. I asked my family, and they said I'd understand when I'm older. Work is just about making money; all that stuff about achievement and fulfillment is fake. What matters is having money coming in. Many of my friends aren't interested in their jobs either—they just say it's all about earning money."
Many of these people don't realize that the meaning of work goes beyond just making money. Of course, everyone has different values, but if you still want to pursue your dreams, you should let go of external factors and really go for it. For instance, I don't like sacrificing my ideals just to make money. My current salary is almost ten thousand less than my first job, but I'm happier now and growing much more. Of course, it took going in circles before I figured out what I actually like and what I'm pursuing.
The importance of work to your life lies in this: first, you spend over 8 hours a day with it. If nearly a third of your day is spent on work you don't enjoy, isn't that torture? Your personality and values will be greatly affected—you may even become more passive and closed off. Not to mention that after subtracting sleep and meals, you don't have much time left to do your own things. So why not find work you truly love? Work is about finding what you love and can commit to among all the things you like and dislike.
Through the workplace, we can learn and grow through interactions with others, through different communication styles and adaptability. Many things are intangible. Perhaps you'll discover that your expectations of yourself have raised—this too is growth.
So if you're disappointed with your current job and unsure whether to stick with it or move on, let me give you some advice: lacking motivation at work, failing to find belonging and recognition—these will cause your life to temporarily stall. True, life isn't just about work, but work is pervasive in life and directly impacts your quality of living. What kind of life do you want? What kind of lifestyle do you want? Decide for yourself.
