Do you do what you love for work?

[qwerty1500]

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones ... totally love my job ... look forward to it every day.

I've made it to the top of my profession after 32 years. Sure, the pay is nice and everyone treats me like I know what I'm doing. However, the best part is that I'm at that point in my career where I can pick and choose what I want to do and delegate the rest to someone else. Love the hard stuff, the challenging stuff, the kind of stuff that totally absorbs you. The job is pretty stressful but I seem to thrive on it. I'd hate to have one of those jobs where you watched the clock. If anything, I don't seem to have enough hours in my day.

The one danger of my job is that it can consume you 24/7 if you let it. I really try to leave everything at work but I know better. It's always there. I'm always thinking about some problem or idea. I usually don't talk about it at home, but after a long weekend, I chomping at the bit to get back to work.

I'm probably in no danger of retiring early. First, I need the health insurance because I'm falling apart. But, the real reason is that I really don't know what I'd do with myself if I retired. I always tell folks that when I leave, it will be feet first.

As much as I love my job, it's kind of scary how much it defines who I am. It's also a little sad to think about some of the other things in my life that have been short-changed because of it.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by G G

What he said, except down here in florida they are trying to seriously screw up my retirement. And only 9 years service.

Illinois keeps trying to do the same, Greg, but looks like current employees would get Grandfathered in to their current pension plan. If it looked like negative changes were coming, I would likely pull the plug and get another job in the field. I have seen too many in private industry get screwed after a lifetime on their job.

[emopunker2004]

Originally Posted by G G

What he said, except down here in florida they are trying to seriously screw up my retirement. And only 9 years service.

What G said except 3.5 yrs of service. Hopefully there will still be a pension when I'm eligible to retire. But I do enjoy my work, mostly due to the co-workers I currently have.

[emopunker2004]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Illinois keeps trying to do the same, Greg, but looks like current employees would get Grandfathered in to their current pension plan. If it looked like negative changes were coming, I would likely pull the plug and get another job in the field. I have seen too many in private industry get screwed after a lifetime on their job.

Same here Tom, but I just keep wondering how long until they decide that they want to go after the Grandfathered as well.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by emopunker2004

Same here Tom, but I just keep wondering how long until they decide that they want to go after the Grandfathered as well.

That is why I will pull the plug if that is going to happen, Justin, too many years in to get jammed up this late in the game.

[emopunker2004]

Originally Posted by icehog3

That is why I will pull the plug if that is going to happen, Justin, too many years in to get jammed up this late in the game.

Definately. So far they're just talking minor pension changes for new hires. but we did just take a paycut which sucks. But at least I have job security, people in this country aren't getting any smarter.

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by qwerty1500

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones ... totally love my job ... look forward to it every day.

I've made it to the top of my profession after 32 years. Sure, the pay is nice and everyone treats me like I know what I'm doing. However, the best part is that I'm at that point in my career where I can pick and choose what I want to do and delegate the rest to someone else. Love the hard stuff, the challenging stuff, the kind of stuff that totally absorbs you. The job is pretty stressful but I seem to thrive on it. I'd hate to have one of those jobs where you watched the clock. If anything, I don't seem to have enough hours in my day.

The one danger of my job is that it can consume you 24/7 if you let it. I really try to leave everything at work but I know better. It's always there. I'm always thinking about some problem or idea. I usually don't talk about it at home, but after a long weekend, I chomping at the bit to get back to work.

This is probably pretty close for me, too, been in healthcare administration since 1987. I love the challenge, the innovation, and the knowledge that the work I do is making a difference not only in the business side of the industry, but also at the bedside.

On the other hand, is it really my passion & calling? Probably not. If I could be doing the one thing in the world that I feel passionate about, I would be running my own craft brewery and producing my own recipes commercially on a mass scale. But I figure I still have time for that.

[chachee52]

I'm a Physical Therapist. I've always said, as someone else in this thread did, if I won the lottery I'd still do Physical Therapy (just would take a lot more days off!!!!!
Will I be rich doing this? No
But every day is completely different, and every hour is completely different. Yes, there are some crazy people out there, but I take that as somewhat of a challenge to try to get them better. And the reward to see someone that couldn't walk at first walk out of the clinic is a great experience.
I love what i do and wouldn't change it for the world.

[Blak Smyth]

I hate my job. It's my fault, bad life choices have led me here. The pay is okay, but I do not enjoy it and I have no more room for growth. I was scheduled to start school last year for graphic design, something that pays less but I would really enjoy the work. I was commited to leaving for work at 6am, heading straight to school after work and finally returning home at 10pm Monday-Thursday and then just work on Friday. Two weeks before I was to start school I received a call stating that the night program has been shut down due to lack of students. I am still soo upset. It is almost impossible for me to find another school that I can work into my current job schedule. I do not know what I am doing with my life and it is driving me nuts.

[Subvet642]

"Re: Do you do what you love for work?"

I'd have to be a drunken whore for that!

I am a hospital security officer and while I may not love it, I do like it enough to anticipate doing it for the next 20 years.

[longknocker]

I Can't Think Of Doing Anything Else For A Living. I've Been A Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) For The Last 34 Years. I'm Paid Well & Get To Give People "Happy Meds"!

Originally Posted by 68TriShield

I do not love my work,even as an owner.What I do like is the fact that we support many nice people and their families.

Sorry you don't love your work but I respect the fact that you take pleasure in providing a living for others, hats off sir.

The owners of the company I work for are quite wealthy and its seems money and profit trump the people and families that work here. We are one of the largest Cirrus aircraft service centers in the country and I have some job security but one never can predict the future.

I am fortunate enough to truly love what I do. We maintain some of the nicest general aviation aircraft made to date. Every aircraft I inspect/maintain I imagine putting my family in. Flying is inherently dangerous, a skilled pilot and top notch maintenance is paramount.

I think a job like ours makes the time spent smoking cigars and enjoying life all that much better. To be able to kick back, relax and not have to be 100% "on it" is what recreation time is all about.

[Mattso3000]

Nope.

[VTDragon]

I managed big box stores for over 25 years and absolutely hated it at the end. Ultimately Walmart drove the three different chains I worked for out of business so rather than going to work for them I changed careers and became an independant insurance agent. That was in 1997 and now I own my own agency and love it. I still work with people (which I love) and I get to actually help them out instead of just selling them something. I'm 62 now and am down to working about four days a week with plans to gradually reduce that as time goes on. I'm lucky in that my employees can do those routine things I don't want to be bothered with and I still get to interact with our clients on a daily basis. I will probably never retire, I'm sure I won't be working as much as I am now, but it is still fun to get up every day and face a new set of challenges. Maybe I'd think differently if I could break 90 on the golf course, but even that gets boring when you play too much.

[Apoco]

Originally Posted by chachee52

I'm a Physical Therapist. I've always said, as someone else in this thread did, if I won the lottery I'd still do Physical Therapy (just would take a lot more days off!!!!!
Will I be rich doing this? No
But every day is completely different, and every hour is completely different. Yes, there are some crazy people out there, but I take that as somewhat of a challenge to try to get them better. And the reward to see someone that couldn't walk at first walk out of the clinic is a great experience.
I love what i do and wouldn't change it for the world.

When I was in physical therapy (torn labrum due to dislocation) that is a job that I thought seemed like a blast. Helping people and playing games all day. Laid back atmosphere and the job changed from one half hour to the next. I can see falling in love with that job for sure.

And thanks for helping us heal, too. I spent 6 months in PT for my shoulder and last weekend I went rafting down the Hiwassee River with almost no pain
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[the nub]

I have never in my life thought to myself "I wish I was at work right now"/thread.

[Don Fernando]

I turned my hobby (talking about cigars) into my profession. I am a sales rep for several top brands from Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, I'm doing events, cigar dinners etc etc. Hell yeah I do what I love and love what I do. Even if I win the lottery I would not quit my job. I would just live in a larger house, drive a bigger car and buy (even) more cigars.

[massphatness]

Love my job? No. But I do love the people I work with, and I cannot complain about the compensation. However, I am long past the point where I define myself by my job as you could seriously train a monkey to do what I do. I envy some of you who take great satisfaction in their professions and feel a sense of pride or accomplishment in a job well done. Those feelings are completely foreign to me. I'm at a point where in the not too distant future, a partnership opportunity may unfold, and truthfully all that will mean to me is more money in my pocket. That's great and all, but the job itself gives me no great satisfaction. Honestly, sometimes I feel trapped -- no one in their right mind would pay me a similar amount of money to do something I would really enjoy, so I stay for the paycheck. But at the office I am nothing more than an automaton -- good (extremely good, in fact) at what he does, but deriving zero satisfaction from it.


.............................
I just re-read my post, and damn it seems depressing. It may be time for some liquid lunch.

[tsolomon]

Love my work, but got a new manager 18 months ago and he is all about "metrics" and proving to other people that we do work. I spend way too much of my time providing reports instead of getting the work done.

[maninblack]

Love my job? Yes and no. I love the pay, because it provides for my family and keeps a roof over our heads. It also allows me to enjoy this crazy cigar hobby. And I like the people I work with for the most part. But the BS gets old. But it's like that with every job I think.