Comments on: My Defense of Unfulfilling Careers http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/ How to Live Life to the Fullest - Personal Growth and Effectiveness Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:56:41 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Prabu Rajasekaran http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-101704 Prabu Rajasekaran Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:12:13 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-101704 That was an awesome opening quote. That was an awesome opening quote.

]]> By: Theme for October 2008 and Monthly Roundup of September 2008 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-101459 Theme for October 2008 and Monthly Roundup of September 2008 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:18:09 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-101459 [...] My Defense of Unfulfilling Careers by Chrissy Scivicque from Office Arrow [...] [...] My Defense of Unfulfilling Careers by Chrissy Scivicque from Office Arrow [...]

]]> By: Desha http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-101263 Desha Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:22:33 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-101263 Its simply amazing...Its just what I have been thinking of for long, People think career is everything... when the bottom line is its just filling ur pockets. No doubt if u are enjoying ur job, have a great Cv to boast of, but then its just a part of you. career is indeed significant area, but its still not ur whole self. Its stupidity to define yourself by 8-10 hrs of workplace. Ur a vice president,so what.. there are millions out there...lets remember even if one comes first in the rat race, You are still a RAT. Balance things and stop giving undue importance to career over people and relationships..tomorrow when you leave your company, you might get a great farewell, but then thats it, you come back after sometime, you no longer belong there. People will forget you and move on.. Its simply amazing…Its just what I have been thinking of for long, People think career is everything… when the bottom line is its just filling ur pockets. No doubt if u are enjoying ur job, have a great Cv to boast of, but then its just a part of you. career is indeed significant area, but its still not ur whole self. Its stupidity to define yourself by 8-10 hrs of workplace. Ur a vice president,so what.. there are millions out there…lets remember even if one comes first in the rat race, You are still a RAT.
Balance things and stop giving undue importance to career over people and relationships..tomorrow when you leave your company, you might get a great farewell, but then thats it, you come back after sometime, you no longer belong there. People will forget you and move on..

]]> By: Link Love For All — Zizendo Sublime Directory http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-99284 Link Love For All — Zizendo Sublime Directory Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:01:35 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-99284 [...] Life Optimizer- “Hi my name is Amber and I’m a blogger.” Does your work define you? [...] [...] Life Optimizer- “Hi my name is Amber and I’m a blogger.” Does your work define you? [...]

]]> By: EPIC SELF | Self Improvement, Wellness, Health, Fitness, Motivation, Green Living » Blog Archive » Link Love For All http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-99262 EPIC SELF | Self Improvement, Wellness, Health, Fitness, Motivation, Green Living » Blog Archive » Link Love For All Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:11:50 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-99262 [...] “Hi my name is Amber and I’m a blogger.” Does your work define you?- Life Optimizer [...] [...] “Hi my name is Amber and I’m a blogger.” Does your work define you?- Life Optimizer [...]

]]> By: Amber http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-99200 Amber Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:34:43 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-99200 I completely agree. Our jobs begin to define who we are so much that we can't actually enjoy our time away from them. I feel like if I'm not working or completing some to-do's that I'm wasting time. Work would probably not be so bad if we actually enjoyed our downtime. I completely agree. Our jobs begin to define who we are so much that we can’t actually enjoy our time away from them. I feel like if I’m not working or completing some to-do’s that I’m wasting time. Work would probably not be so bad if we actually enjoyed our downtime.

]]> By: Ari Koinuma http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-98824 Ari Koinuma Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:39:08 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-98824 Chrissy, You speak the truth -- your job doesn't have to be your identity at all. I personally know some people who's really able to separate jobs and identity. Jobs are just means to provide for their needs. I know a very decent man who makes a living managing a factory producing tanks. If he has moral conflicts about what he's doing, he doesn't show it. That said, if it was me, I don't think I can tolerate working in a factory that produces tanks. My goal is to create a world where we don't need tanks, so I would not do very well producing them, spending so much of my life doing it. (The job pays VERY well) I've come to the conclusion that views about one's job depends greatly on a person's personality type. I am a feeling/intuitive person who care very much about what I am doing. I also cannot not letting what I spend so much time doing affect the sense of who I am. What I'm saying is not that I have superior moral code or anything. More thinking/logic oriented people have great morals/ethics but are simply more detached from their feelings. I'm not one of them so I can't speak on their behalf, but it looks like they simply don't feel that much. From my point of view, I'm tempted to say it's easier to navigate life for them, because they're not bothered by their feelings -- they are able to compartmentalize various portions of their lives better, and make decisions based simply on their logical thinking. That seems simpler to me than trying to please murky, confusing demands of our feelings. Anyway, I think having a job that sucks less is better than having a job you hate, and having a job you're content with is better than not having a job and starving. We're all constantly trying to reach for a better place, which is natural. But some of us can stop at that contentment and simply let other aspects of our life grow. Other ones are less cut and dry and simply unable to detach ourselves from what we do. It's not they're inmature, it's just that they are different. So -- to such people, finding a fulfilling career becomes a must, not a choice. You don't have to defend the fact that you can be perfectly happy even without fulfilling career. Neither do we have to defend that fact that some of us do need a fulfilling career. ari Chrissy,

You speak the truth — your job doesn’t have to be your identity at all. I personally know some people who’s really able to separate jobs and identity. Jobs are just means to provide for their needs. I know a very decent man who makes a living managing a factory producing tanks. If he has moral conflicts about what he’s doing, he doesn’t show it.

That said, if it was me, I don’t think I can tolerate working in a factory that produces tanks. My goal is to create a world where we don’t need tanks, so I would not do very well producing them, spending so much of my life doing it. (The job pays VERY well)

I’ve come to the conclusion that views about one’s job depends greatly on a person’s personality type. I am a feeling/intuitive person who care very much about what I am doing. I also cannot not letting what I spend so much time doing affect the sense of who I am. What I’m saying is not that I have superior moral code or anything. More thinking/logic oriented people have great morals/ethics but are simply more detached from their feelings. I’m not one of them so I can’t speak on their behalf, but it looks like they simply don’t feel that much. From my point of view, I’m tempted to say it’s easier to navigate life for them, because they’re not bothered by their feelings — they are able to compartmentalize various portions of their lives better, and make decisions based simply on their logical thinking. That seems simpler to me than trying to please murky, confusing demands of our feelings.

Anyway, I think having a job that sucks less is better than having a job you hate, and having a job you’re content with is better than not having a job and starving. We’re all constantly trying to reach for a better place, which is natural. But some of us can stop at that contentment and simply let other aspects of our life grow. Other ones are less cut and dry and simply unable to detach ourselves from what we do. It’s not they’re inmature, it’s just that they are different.

So — to such people, finding a fulfilling career becomes a must, not a choice. You don’t have to defend the fact that you can be perfectly happy even without fulfilling career. Neither do we have to defend that fact that some of us do need a fulfilling career.

ari

]]> By: Sid Savara http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-98821 Sid Savara Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:37:54 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-98821 Good points Chrissy. I think that another aspect of this is all the bloggers and other part time online entrepreneurs. The day job is a means to an end, a way to keep food on the table and keep paying the mortgage while they follow their passions in the evening. I also think part of it may have to do with having a certain level of experience. Very broadly speaking, when you first start work you'll take any job you can get, and you don't really know how to tell a good job from a bad job. It's only after living with it for a few years and trying to balance a life with a job that's got hours that are too long, is too draining, or just not fulfilling that we can step back and figure out what we really want. Good points Chrissy. I think that another aspect of this is all the bloggers and other part time online entrepreneurs. The day job is a means to an end, a way to keep food on the table and keep paying the mortgage while they follow their passions in the evening.

I also think part of it may have to do with having a certain level of experience. Very broadly speaking, when you first start work you’ll take any job you can get, and you don’t really know how to tell a good job from a bad job. It’s only after living with it for a few years and trying to balance a life with a job that’s got hours that are too long, is too draining, or just not fulfilling that we can step back and figure out what we really want.

]]> By: Working Stiff http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-98811 Working Stiff Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:49:39 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2008/09/19/my-defense-of-unfulfilling-careers/#comment-98811 Not that there's anything wrong with taking pride in your work and taking care to do a good job. It is still a very important part of life, so don't move it too far down the hierarchy of important things. I'm a wife and mom. My family is important to me, but so is keeping a roof over their heads, clothes on their bods and food in their tummies, so it's important that I care enough about my job to do it well. My job IS the practical center of my universe. My family is the emotional center of my universe. Not that there’s anything wrong with taking pride in your work and taking care to do a good job. It is still a very important part of life, so don’t move it too far down the hierarchy of important things. I’m a wife and mom. My family is important to me, but so is keeping a roof over their heads, clothes on their bods and food in their tummies, so it’s important that I care enough about my job to do it well. My job IS the practical center of my universe. My family is the emotional center of my universe.

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