In my last post What Is Your Worth, I showed you that your impact on the economy is not the measure of who you are. Now I want to talk about what it is. If you’ve ever had someone ask “what do you do for a living” you may have had a simple answer in mind.
The truth may be more impressive than you realize.
What I Do
If you ask me what I do for a living, I’d probably tell you I run a company that encourages people to get out and enjoy the world. It’s a simple answer to a complex truth.
The fact is, I do a lot more than that. I develop mobile apps. I produce and edit videos. I write articles, copy, and scripts. I coordinate with designers, testers, and artists.
We all wear a lot of hats. No matter what your job, there are a lot of things you do. At the same time, when you think of what you do for a living, you’ve barely scratched the surface.
What I Really Do
Life is about more than what you’re paid for. I’m also a baker. I love making cookies or chocolate pie (plant-based, of course). Additionally, I enjoy cooking no matter how basic my recipes.
I also love playing the guitar. I’ve played my guitar over half an hour each day for over 1,400 days straight. I started late in life, but I’ve mastered over a hundred songs.
And I’m a father. I have three wonderful boys, one who is having a blast studying game design, one who is always learning and reading, and one who is always trying out new things.
I workout, read, and pray daily. I enjoy skiing, running, biking, and just watching a great comedy.
These and more are what I do for a living, because this is how I live. I’m guessing you have a long list of what you do for a living too.
More Than Your Income
What you do for a living isn’t about what you earn. It’s about who you are. Life is about living. A job is about being productive and contributing to society. It’s part of who you are, but it doesn’t define you.
When I posed the question, What Is Your Worth, I talked about my mom. She was an amazing woman who, for much of her life, earned little income, yet her impact was substantial. She was a counselor, a friend, an adviser, a host, a party planner, a comedian, a speaker, an organist and piano player, a sage, a listener, and more.
I don’t think I could define my mom in terms of how she made money, but I know she lived a full and amazing life – a life that had a huge impact on tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. She knew how to live life, not just make a living.
Living Life
What you do for a living is live. What you contribute to the world is all the things that make up who you are. That band you play in might not make any money, but it makes people smile and brings friends together.
Spending time with your kids doesn’t add to the bank account, but it increases their self esteem and mental health preparing them for wiser decisions and healthier choices. Working in your garden doesn’t set you up for promotion, but it contributes to your happiness and puts healthy food on the table.
What you do for a living is vast. It’s the sum of who you are. Enjoy living your life and make the most of it.
2 Responses
I really needed this today. Thank you.
I’m glad it enriched you. You are so much more than how you earn a dollar. I hope your day is full of a wider view of who you are.