Living to Work or Living to Work or Working to Live?Working to Live?

aka How to regain the balance in your lifeaka How to regain the balance in your life

Looking backLooking back

• Did you like your last job?Did you like your last job?• Were you were good at your job?Were you were good at your job?• Did you like the people you work Did you like the people you work

with?with?• Did every day have the same Did every day have the same

“form”?“form”?• Was your life on “auto-pilot”?Was your life on “auto-pilot”?

Life is like a teeter-Life is like a teeter-totter.totter.

• You can jump off and jump back You can jump off and jump back on.on.

• You take little steps toward the You take little steps toward the fulcrum.fulcrum.

• You gain balance by separating You gain balance by separating your job and your work.your job and your work.

What is a job?What is a job?

• Miriam-Webster: a job is “a small Miriam-Webster: a job is “a small miscellaneous piece of work miscellaneous piece of work undertaken on order at a stated undertaken on order at a stated rate.”rate.”

What is Work?What is Work?

• Miriam-Webster: work is Miriam-Webster: work is “something produced or “something produced or accomplished by effort, exertion, accomplished by effort, exertion, or exercise of skill.”or exercise of skill.”

Your job versus your Your job versus your workwork

• Should we expect our jobs to Should we expect our jobs to also be our work?also be our work?

• What is the true difference What is the true difference between your job and your work?between your job and your work?

What is the payoff?What is the payoff?

• Job pays in cash.Job pays in cash.• Work pays in joy.Work pays in joy.

Your work may also be your Your work may also be your job.job.

• Some people blend their job and Some people blend their job and their work, such as:their work, such as:

• Religious organizationsReligious organizations• social servicessocial services• MedicineMedicine• LawLaw• EntrepreneursEntrepreneurs

Is your job also your Is your job also your work?work?

• Ask yourself: Ask yourself: “Would I do this “Would I do this if they didn’t pay me?”if they didn’t pay me?”

Jobs are necessaryJobs are necessary

• Jobs support our lives financially Jobs support our lives financially and give us other benefits.and give us other benefits.

• Many jobs are not financially or Many jobs are not financially or spiritually fulfilling, yet spiritually fulfilling, yet necessary.necessary.

Finding your workFinding your work

• Sometimes our work comes to Sometimes our work comes to us.us.

• Sometimes we have to go Sometimes we have to go looking for it.looking for it.

• Every day, each of us is moving Every day, each of us is moving closer to our true work.closer to our true work.

What could your work What could your work be?be?

• Creating a tangible item.Creating a tangible item.• Fostering a relationship.Fostering a relationship.• Having an experience.Having an experience.• Something you learn.Something you learn.• Something you give.Something you give.• Something you receive.Something you receive.

How to discover your How to discover your workwork

• Your job may contain Your job may contain components of work.components of work.

• Your job may contain opposite Your job may contain opposite components.components.

• You may get a sudden vision.You may get a sudden vision.• It may come in bits and pieces.It may come in bits and pieces.

Synchronicity (God’s Synchronicity (God’s Will)Will)

• Synchronicities are external Synchronicities are external answers to internal questions.answers to internal questions.

• Your life is trying to guide you to Your life is trying to guide you to your work.your work.

• Pay attention to the clues.Pay attention to the clues.

Questions to ponderQuestions to ponder

• What motivates you?What motivates you?• What attracts you?What attracts you?• What do you resist?What do you resist?• What frustrates you?What frustrates you?

Seek your workSeek your work

• Look for components of your Look for components of your work.work.

• Try new things:Try new things:– VolunteerVolunteer– Take a classTake a class– Read a different kind of bookRead a different kind of book– TravelTravel– Pretend you’re a great explorer Pretend you’re a great explorer

searching for new lands.searching for new lands.

Use the process of Use the process of eliminationelimination

• If you can’t figure out what it is, If you can’t figure out what it is, figure out what it isn’t.figure out what it isn’t.

How will you know when How will you know when you find it?you find it?

• It evokes a strong emotional It evokes a strong emotional response in you.response in you.– Makes you cryMakes you cry– Makes you laughMakes you laugh– Feel a deep sense of commitment, Feel a deep sense of commitment,

focus, and drive.focus, and drive.– Money won’t matter.Money won’t matter.

Why this work?Why this work?

• You may never know why you You may never know why you are supposed to do this work.are supposed to do this work.

• Feels important but can’t say Feels important but can’t say why.why.

• Do it anyway -- have faith!Do it anyway -- have faith!

Different work for different Different work for different timestimes

• Your work may differ at different Your work may differ at different phases of your life.phases of your life.

• Some work may feel more Some work may feel more important.important.

• All of it is worth doing.All of it is worth doing.

Hard work is good work.Hard work is good work.

• The search for your work may be The search for your work may be long and hard.long and hard.

• Doing the work is even more Doing the work is even more difficult.difficult.

• But it is hard work done with joy.But it is hard work done with joy.• Every bit of hard work fills you Every bit of hard work fills you

with bliss.with bliss.

Excuses, excuses . . .Excuses, excuses . . .

• Are there really any good Are there really any good reasons for not pursuing your reasons for not pursuing your true work?true work?

• Is it OK to reduce your focus on Is it OK to reduce your focus on your job?your job?

““I get many positive non-I get many positive non-money rewards from my money rewards from my

job.”job.”• If you’re feeling appreciated, If you’re feeling appreciated,

great!great!• If you’re being used to your If you’re being used to your

potential, great!potential, great!• But if not . . .But if not . . .

– Your employer is purchasing your Your employer is purchasing your services.services.

– Should you expect more than that?Should you expect more than that?– You will feel greater satisfaction in You will feel greater satisfaction in

your work.your work.

““I’m really good at my job. I’m really good at my job. I’m not so good at my I’m not so good at my

work.”work.”• You can still be good at your job You can still be good at your job

while you improve at your work.while you improve at your work.• Your work is a learning process.Your work is a learning process.• Your work is your own and fulfillment Your work is your own and fulfillment

doing it is its own reward.doing it is its own reward.• There are usually no grades or There are usually no grades or

performance appraisals for your performance appraisals for your work.work.

““I like the people I work I like the people I work with. They’re like family!”with. They’re like family!”

• If you truly like them and they If you truly like them and they truly like you, greattruly like you, great

• Sometimes people we know on Sometimes people we know on the job only seem like friends.the job only seem like friends.– They are paid to be there.They are paid to be there.– They are not your family.They are not your family.

““I’m too old to start I’m too old to start something new.”something new.”

• You are never too old!You are never too old!• A healthy 50-year-old woman can A healthy 50-year-old woman can

expect to live to 92.expect to live to 92.• A healthy 65-year-old man can A healthy 65-year-old man can

expect to live to 81.expect to live to 81.• Maybe you were just too young Maybe you were just too young

before now.before now.

““I don’t have the money to I don’t have the money to do what I truly want to do.”do what I truly want to do.”• Most common excuse.Most common excuse.• You have more money than you You have more money than you

think.think.• What are you doing with your What are you doing with your

money?money?

““Money is congealed Money is congealed energy, and releasing it energy, and releasing it

releases life’s releases life’s possibilities.” possibilities.” – Joseph Campbell– Joseph Campbell

• When you hate money, it repels it When you hate money, it repels it from you.from you.

• No one likes to go where it is hated.No one likes to go where it is hated.• Create a happy place for money to Create a happy place for money to

be.be.

Money is not . . .Money is not . . .

• PowerPower• True wealthTrue wealth• The root of all evilThe root of all evil

• Money gains emotional attributes Money gains emotional attributes when we project our feelings on to when we project our feelings on to it.it.

Money is:Money is:

• Piece of paperPiece of paper• Some metal disksSome metal disks• A way to facilitate tradeA way to facilitate trade•

Money was created because it Money was created because it was easier than the barter was easier than the barter system.system.

The amazing ability of a The amazing ability of a single dollar!single dollar!

One dollar buys an awful lot.One dollar buys an awful lot.• It flows through the lives of It flows through the lives of

many, enhancing each one just a many, enhancing each one just a little bit.little bit.

Money’s goalsMoney’s goals

It’s not out to:It’s not out to:• Make people’s lives miserableMake people’s lives miserable• Make people fearful but to ease Make people fearful but to ease

their feartheir fear• Goals: Bring the necessities and Goals: Bring the necessities and

good things of life to as many as good things of life to as many as possible.possible.

Use your job to support Use your job to support your work.your work.

• Let money from your job flow into Let money from your job flow into your life and support your work.your life and support your work.

• Your job supports you while you Your job supports you while you look for your work.look for your work.– Your search may take years.Your search may take years.– Eventually your work may become Eventually your work may become

your livelihood.your livelihood.– You may want to continue your job You may want to continue your job

because youlike it.because youlike it.

Your work may become Your work may become your job.your job.

Invest in yourself.Invest in yourself.

Use your money to support your work.Use your money to support your work.• Work takes time.Work takes time.

– Time to discover your work.Time to discover your work.– Time to do your work.Time to do your work.– Trade time for money at your job Trade time for money at your job

so make opposite trade for your work.so make opposite trade for your work.

•““Do what you love andDo what you love andthe money will follow.”the money will follow.”