Job Vs Work - doing what matters

Growing up I watched my Dad run his own manufacturing business, mom was his backbone by being his cheerleader and raising four kids. Dad made time for us and took us out to the movies on Fridays and vacations every summer. Mom always came first for Dad and they formed an amazing home team. Watching my parents pull together to build a business and family shaped my views on how I was going to build my future family. Early on, I made up my mind that I wanted to be in business like my Dad and a homemaker like my mom. That combination, I thought, would give me the time and money to raise a family.

My idea was to get a business degree with computer programming skills so I could run my own business from home. I was so excited to get my first programming job and loved my work. During the initial months, I could not wait to get to work. The love I had for my work was slowly tarnished by the boring everyday routine, commute, and office politics. I began to hope and think that there has got to be a better way to make money and live my life.

That awakening was an important catalyst and I began to shed my naive outlook towards life and began to increase my awareness of how the world worked. I believe one has to develop awareness in three major areas of life - self, your environment, and the world.

Self - I began to crystallize my dreams and write them as goals.

Environment - I began to recognize that people around me - my family, relatives, and friends - loved me but were not capable of helping me navigate to my goals. I had to find like-minded people and mentors who could help me get to my goals.

World - This was the big unknown. When you don't even know what you don't know the best place to begin is by being humble and being an open vessel to receive information from the Universe. I started learning by reading, listening to podcasts and meeting successful people.

I loved my work but hated my job - recognizing that simple fact led me to discover a smarter way to work and make money. It gave me the freedom that I was looking for - freedom of owning a business and taking care of my family. I was able to raise three beautiful children and work alongside my husband to build a huge enterprise around the world. I get to do what I want when I want with whom I want.

If you want to live a good authentic lifestyle - Life (Time) and Style (Money) - you need both time and money. Life is too short and too precious to be wasted in just chasing a paycheck and be a slave to money all your life.

Job Vs Work

Job - such a simple word has such a profound meaning for everyone in our society. Three simple letters reflect where we spend much of our time as adults, define who we are, how well we can live and our status in society.

A job is a trade of your time, skill and sometimes your soul for money. It doesn't necessarily mean going to a place of work and having a boss. Your job could involve freelancing or building your own small business.

Many of us are naive to believe that companies exist to create jobs. We almost feel entitled to a job. There is no such thing as a RIGHT TO A JOB. Creation of jobs is not the purpose of an enterprise. Jobs are the by-product of an enterprise.

It is important to understand why a job exists. At its root, a job exists because somebody needs something done and either can't or won't - or doesn't want to - do it themselves. A job exists for the pleasure of the employer.

In the history of the world, jobs are a recent phenomenon. Human civilization goes back more than 16,500 years. Early humans had basics needs - food, clothing, and shelter. They "went to work" to fulfill them.

When the demand for labor increased during Industrial age (19th century) governments took over the task of mass education adopting the Prussian system of education, which is what Western school systems are still modeled after today. Prussian education was created to mass-produce employees for the wealthy - soldiers and employees - people who would follow orders and do as they were told. That continues today.

There is nothing wrong with getting an education or having a job. My kids will go to college not just for education but more for learning the discipline of learning, the experience of living away from home and for networking. The problem is with thinking that a college degree or making money from a job can fulfill you spiritually or financially. Generating income from a job is extremely limited and fraught with risk because it requires your time and effort. Problem is not with a job, the problem is relying on one source of income. That is too much stress to handle!

Whatever you do, make sure you create asset-based ongoing income in your 20s and 30s so you can begin to live life in your own terms and not be a slave to money all your life. Follow the concept of pay now, play later. Have a destination mindset, keep your eye on the prize but enjoy your journey. You will have plenty of time later to do the things you want to do.

Wish you the best.