People motivated by different things
By Brian Kreissl
I have been thinking quite a bit lately about how there seem to be two different schools of thought emerging in terms of people’s belief in the best way forward for their careers. On one hand, many people still believe in the old maxim of, “do what you love and the money will follow.”
However, people are increasingly starting to argue the opposite: Essentially that work isn’t really supposed to be fun, that it shouldn’t define you, and it’s really just a means to an end. Proponents of that approach believe the goal of work is to put food on the table and a roof over your head, and that people should pursue happiness and personal fulfillment outside work.
So, who is right? Should we live to work or work to live?
To me, the best approach might be somewhere in the middle, but it all depends on your personal priorities.
Being motivated by money
Funnily enough, being highly motivated by money could be said to be a hallmark of either approach.
People who are ambitious and love what they do often end up being financially successful — hence the part about the money following. It’s pretty obvious people who are highly engaged in their work and are constantly “in the zone” will work harder and engage in discretionary effort to become even more successful.
Conversely, we’ve all heard stories about the proverbial overworked and overstressed investment banker who continues to do what she does because of the money or because it’s difficult to envision doing anything else. Many of those people seem to be just as successful in their careers and perform as well as people who truly have a passion for their vocation.
Just because someone doesn’t truly enjoy their job it doesn’t necessarily follow that they can’t be really good at it. All kinds of things drive people in their careers beyond pure enjoyment of the work itself — or even money.
Work hard and play hard
Having highly engaging hobbies, interests or social activities outside work keep many of those people going. “Work hard and play hard” seems to be their motto.
I find it interesting how many highly successful people don’t seem to obsess over their careers. They generally just make a career plan and stick to it, and are often very good at compartmentalizing their work and home lives. I’ve written about this before, but I suppose part of the key to their success is realizing that “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy.”
The problem with some highly successful people in prestigious, well-paid careers, however, is they’re sometimes so overworked they don’t have the time to enjoy the fruits of their labour. What’s the point of all that money if you work 80 hours a week and never see your friends and family?
Making a difference in the world
People can also start to question whether they are actually making a difference in their careers and if what they are doing is likely to have a positive impact on society. That’s why many people decide to work for non-profits at a fraction of the salary they would earn in the corporate world.
Nevertheless, I don’t think it’s necessary to work for a charity in order to make the world a better place. Personally, I believe “making a difference” can simply mean having a positive impact on an organization’s bottom line.
That’s especially true if you are acting ethically, your employer’s values mesh with your own and you’re able to make a difference in other ways, for example, by volunteering on your own time or contributing to charity. Even just being a genuinely decent and caring person and setting a good example for your kids can help make the world a better place.
Personally, having work that’s interesting and fulfilling is important to me. But that doesn’t mean I have to be making money from one of my favourite leisure activities to be engaged.
I love sampling microbrewery beer — but it would be difficult to see how I could make a career out of that. And even if I could, it might just take all of the enjoyment out of it for me and make it “just a job.” It’s the same with many professional athletes who start out loving the sport but actually end up resenting it in the end.
Brian Kreissl is the managing editor of Consult Carswell. He can be reached at [email protected]. For more information on Carswell's HR products visit www.carswell.com.
