Shiny objects vs Shiny work

Many people choose shiny objects over shiny work.?

What do I mean by that??

We trap ourselves in a time-paycheck-consumption cycle.?

We buy things just to feel good about our current situation. Rather than building a life we love, we buy things to distract ourselves from the part of life (work) we don’t enjoy.

And if you aren’t aware of this cycle, there's a good chance you're on it. And the longer you are in the cycle, the harder it is to make the change. Not impossible. Just more challenging.

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How so?

Let’s use this all too common example: You don’t enjoy your job and want to do something else. Instead of taking steps to prepare for a shift in your career, you buy a new car. The car is a shiny object and you’re distracted by it…for a little while.?

That new shiny object is another monthly expense. And unless you have a trust fund from which you can pull, you will have to work, meaning exchanging your time for a paycheck, to make those required payments.?

It now gets even harder to leave.

The shiny car that gave you the momentary distraction has become a monthly reminder that you can’t leave your job.

And if things get really bad at work, you’ll most likely want to, need to, and must take any job just for the paycheck.?

I have been there before. I have bought shiny objects and been trapped at bad jobs simply because I needed the paycheck to pay off those shiny objects that had already lost their luster.

One day, I caught my reflection with one of those shiny objects. The person I saw–stressed and disillusioned–was not the person I wanted to be.

So I made a shift.

I’ve focused the last decade of my life on increasing my awareness. I dug deep. I needed to better understand who I was. Then, I expanded outward to see the many things I could become. I wanted to know what I was capable of and what I could create, not simply consume.

Through this process of self-reflection, I began to understand the beliefs and behaviors that have kept me stuck.

You see, I like shiny nice things, but I prefer shiny work. That's who I wanted to become–a person doing work that matters.

What I hope you takeaway is this: Become aware of the glare from those shiny objects that distract you from who you can become. The person who does shiny work. Meaningful work. Purposeful work.

Thanks for reading.

With you on the journey,

Jason

Did you know I started a newsletter on Substack? Join me there for more posts on personal growth and living intentionally: https://jasonvitug.substack.com

Want more insights in finding better work? You can read a chapter on Happy Work in my 2nd book here.

And if you're looking for tactical and simple financial steps to financial independence, check out Make Your Money Smile.