When someone says they love what they do for a living, what does that really mean? Is it that they have truly fulfilled all their desires or have they simply met the expectation that they set for themselves? Expectation is a belief, a perceived, and at times a hopeful outcome. If we set our expectations a little lower will that result in a 'love' for what we do?
We, most of us have spent years honing our craft, learning the skills or perfecting the most productive outcome of our jobs. Regardless of the role you play, bricklaying or sculpting, each of us has committed to a task that we hope will give us joy, pay us well or give us what we need to survive financially. So, what is the ingredient that makes us 'love' it?
Expectations and satisfaction in jobs.
For reasons I may never understand, satisfaction can be found in many daily chores, for some, it's finishing the housework on time, for others it's solving that coding issue or folding underwear. If satisfaction and expectation are met does that equate to ‘loving what you do?’ What about those people who need to strive for the next big challenge, are they stuck in perpetual disappointment, or is this just drive. Is this drive their version of ‘loving’ what they do?
How do we measure the differences between success, happiness and loving our jobs? Using a job as the measure seems like such a variable unto itself, people will always do different things for different reasons. We all have our own goals and each of us may change these regularly. Is setting goals close to expectation the secret?
"The story of the 10-year overnight success comes to mind. It’s all true. So do you get what you deserve? Risk + Hard work = Reward?"
It's a popular misconception that when you have 'made it' you are happy because you are successful. But, what if the two are not mutually exclusive. How would we know?
For example, being a doctor after medical school is a fairly obvious path, the expectation that this would happen is a logical one. This logic doesn't mean that a person who has spent many many years working toward this goal will end up loving their role. They might hate it, a romanticised idea can be found in every profession. What if they'd expected to be a surgeon but then worked in a very different field, never entering an operating theatre. This might make them really happy, as the change in field was in line with their evolving goals or, horrendously unfulfilled with a longing for surgery. It depends on the individual and how they perceive their own circumstances.
"it’ll always be hard to imagine the same happiness and contentment can be shared by an astronaut and a pig farmer, but I could be wrong."
I often wonder about the saying: ‘Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ It’s beautiful and poetic and unfortunately for me always seems so far out of reach. I like most, envy people who have found their true calling and they do it for love - not money. (But it pays them enough so they don’t have to worry.) I admire from afar, knowing that most of these scenarios have lots of risks and hard work in the background. The story of the 10-year overnight success comes to mind. It’s all true. So do you get what you deserve? Risk + Hard work = Reward?
Am I overcomplicating it? Do we need to look at it differently? If I have a good job, I am skilled at it and it pays well, why am I not ‘loving’ it? Could my expectations be too high? It’s a job not a holiday. We still have to get up and be there on time every day. There is a reality to it.
(Expectations + Satisfaction + Reality) - (Romance + Dissolution) + (THE WHY - the belief in what you do) = Love for what you do. (No science included.)
This equation is lovely and all but it also takes no time into account. It might take someone 40 years to have all the parts balanced and working together. In that time, hasn’t the expectation already declined? Let's add in Time.
Time / (Expectations + Satisfaction + Reality) - (Romance + Dissolution) + (THE WHY - the belief in what you do) = Love for what you do. (No science included.)
Perception, perspective and a little bit of 'Fake it til you make it.'
This could all be bullshit, and some people just say it to make the rest of us feel bad. There is always the social brag factor, most of us like to appear successful, well in the western world. In the Scandinavia’s it’s not bragging about success that is the preferred social norm. They avoid bragging altogether. So, even success is measured differently depending on where you live.
In the end it seems to be about the individual and how they perceive their own role in life. For me it’ll always be hard to imagine the same happiness and contentment can be shared by an astronaut and a pig farmer, but I could be wrong. This analogy is based on my perception, that I would be prouder to be an astronaut. (But so would most Vegans.)
I'm going to test this theory, I will reduce my expectations, remove the romanticised ideas that come with my career and find satisfaction in the smaller day to day successes. I wonder if I will find the love for my job. I will also look to other areas of interest, I figure not putting all my hopes and dreams into one role will widen my opportunities to find something I love. Let's be honest we can all do more than our 9-5’s maybe my love can be found in correcting the work life balance. I might well love my job if I had the time, passion and energy to do something just for me outside of working hours.
