Let’s get one thing straight: if a job was super exciting, people would line up to do it for free. Seriously, who in their right mind would pass up the chance to do something thrilling?
Nobody.
Which is why, nine times out of ten, the task you need help with is something you don’t want to do — either because it’s boring, you don’t know how to do it, or you just don’t have the time. That’s when you wish someone else could magically take it off your plate.
But here’s the catch:
Why would they want to do it?
They have their own boring tasks they’re trying to escape from. They aren’t sitting around fantasising about jumping into your backlog of spreadsheets or replying to your emails.
That’s where money comes in.
Money is the universal bribe. It’s the carrot you dangle to get someone to trade their precious time and do something they wouldn’t otherwise touch with a ten-foot pole.
So let’s not romanticise jobs.
A job is not your soulmate.
It’s not your purpose.
It’s not your creative playground, emotional support system, therapist, or best friend.
It’s a transaction.
You’re solving a problem for someone who either can’t or won’t solve it themselves. And you’re getting paid for it. That’s it. There’s no poetry in it. Don’t expect a standing ovation.
And that payment?
Let’s be honest — no one’s trying to overpay you. The person paying you is also trying to hold on to as much money as possible, because they’ve got their own problems to solve. So no, you won’t get paid more just because you feel your job sucks. And no, you won’t keep getting more and more for doing the same thing forever. There’s always a hungrier, cheaper monkey in the market.
Here’s where most people screw up:
They expect their job to be a buffet of emotional, creative, and spiritual fulfilment. “I want security, fun, status, challenges, creativity, and freedom — all from my job.”
No.
Your job gives you money. That’s its job.
It’s your job to use that money wisely — to buy peace, fun, growth, hobbies, travel, family time, joy, therapy, yoga classes, painting kits, or whatever lights you up.
And here’s something else to chew on:
Your job exists to support your personal life.
Your family, your relationships, your well-being — those are the real deal.
But what are most of us doing?
We’re doing the exact opposite. We’re sacrificing family, peace, and health to keep our jobs happy. We’re stuck on the hedonic treadmill, glorifying burnout like it’s some kind of corporate medal of honor.
Let me paint a picture:
Imagine taking your kid and your spouse to a boardroom meeting. In the middle of a strategy presentation, your kid asks for ice cream and your spouse wants help picking a new dress. Sounds ridiculous, right? You’d be told to get serious, be professional, focus on work.
Fair enough.
Then explain this:
Why is it perfectly acceptable — even celebrated — when people take work calls during family vacations? Why do we act like heroes when we sneak in a little email time on Sunday brunches? Why is it okay to bring work into personal time but not the other way around?
Let that one sit with you for a moment.
If doing personal stuff during work hours is a crime, then doing work stuff during personal hours should be just as offensive. But it’s not. Because somewhere along the way, we flipped the priority order and started worshipping the wrong god.
So here’s the deal:
Set boundaries. Respect your time. And remember — if you don’t, no one else will.
Now, none of this is an excuse to slack off. Whatever job you have, do it well. Be damn good at it. But stop expecting it to be more than it is.
A job is a job.
Let it be that.
And let life be something else.
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