Lifestyle, Work

What Drives You To Work?

career job work options

career job work options The majority of people have to work to get by in this world. With so many different forms of employment, (casual, part time, permanent, working from home) and thousands of career paths to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming, some people will work simply to pay their bills and that’s fine, making ends meet is essential. Others will pursue a career that they find themselves drawn to, or get paid to do something they’re passionate about.

Some people know what vocation they plan on going into from a young age. They don’t change their mind; they remain focused and achieve their goal. Others will follow in family footsteps, carrying on traditions. Some jobs are stepping-stones to other forms of employment. Others will have the good fortune of having amazing jobs seemingly fall into their laps. Some people are able to mentally clock out of their job when they punch the time card, while others go home and keep working.

What interests me is this: what drives you?

What made you choose the job you’ve got? Are you happy with your job? Are you doing something you planned on doing, or something totally different?

While it’s true that teaching was my second choice (after nursing), it couldn’t have turned out better. I love my job and am grateful for the opportunity it affords me to work with young people who need support and guidance. And while teaching was my Plan B, if I look back over my life, there have been some amazing teachers who influenced me during my own education. I can only hope to be as helpful, kind and compassionate as they were. They cared about my education, but cared about ME as a person, first. This is something I firmly believe in.

So what about you? What’s your motivation for getting up in the morning? (Or night, if you’re a shift worker.) What is it about your position that appeals to you? Are you working in a job simply to make ends meet? (It should be noted I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.) Of course we all have days where we don’t want to go to work or a struggling with elements of our job. However, I can’t imagine turning up to a job I hate every day. I know people do it, and I don’t know how.

Did you choose your career or did your planned career path throw you some curve balls? What motivates you to do your job?

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    • https://kikiandtea.com/ Tamsin Howse

      To be honest, I work because I need to earn the money. If I could not work, I wouldn’t, I’d devote myself to other things that are more fun. And random. And probably watch a lot of television and eat in restaurants and travel. But I do have to work. Do, given that, my competitiveness, pride and basic desire to succeed in things drives me to constantly seek new opportunities, to constantly improve my career, and to constantly be aiming for the next milestone.

      It’s kind of funny how driven I am for someone who wouldn’t work if she didn’t have to.

      As for how I found myself in this particular line of work? Well, like everything in my life, I fell into it.

    • Maryann

      I work for the money, pure & simple. I have worked in a few different industries but my preference is education, never as teacher. I commenced teacher training after the HSC but dropped out, I hated it! I work in admin at a big uni. I targeted unis when I was looking for a new job a few years ago because they have fairly good work conditions, reasonable pay and it is less stressful than the corporate sector where I was working. Also uni HR tends to be less ageist, important as I am over 50!

      My degrees are in history because I love it but there are very few jobs in the area. If I ddn’t have to work and money was no object I would travel, work as a volunteer in educational areas and work towards a PhD. Although I will probably commece a research degree in the near future while still workining.

      • 26 Years & Counting

        I would do the same – a PhD for just the fun of learning!

    • 26 Years & Counting

      I have to work – some jobs I’ve liked more than others. Some jobs relate to my study more than others. Some jobs last longer than others. If, for whatever reason, I suddenly didn’t have to work anymore, I would be out doing other things. Work (paid or unpaid) that fulfills me. Traveling. Creating. Helping others.

    • Leah_loves

      Such a great discussion to start – thanks Tamsin! If I didn’t have to work would I? No, definitely not! But then I wouldn’t say money is the only thing that drives me. I do like to work in industries that make a difference and I like to work in rolls that are personally fulfilling, even if they may not be deemed particularly fancy or important to others. After uni I went into the not for profit sector because of my desire to help others. I didn’t always enjoy the work but I did love what the companies stood for. Unfortunately I found that almost every not for profit has too many money issues that cause large internal problems and I knew my time in NFP was over. So I moved sideways into education (still technically NFP but not in a charitable way!). Would I like to get paid more? Definitely (who wouldn’t!) But I like the conditions where I am and the job is pretty good, the people are friendly, it’s not far from home and I know I just wouldn’t fit in in the corporate world.

      I would LOVE to work only 3 days per week. If that was an option financially I think that would be a really good compromise between the full-time slog and living a life of total leisure. I think it would make a huge difference to my life! But once you’ve earnt a full time wage it’s hard to go back. I like going on overseas holidays and splurging on a night out every now and then, and while these things are not essentials, working full time gives me the resources to afford these luxuries. I like to think of it as working to live. Some people live to work but that’s definitely not me!

    • melinka

      I definitely went for the career. Completed a PhD in science because I love the intellectual rigor, enjoy the autonomy of the job and, importantly, I thought I could do some good, productive work as a postdoc. Something useful & worthwhile.

      Unfortunately my job has now got to the stage where I finish anywhere between 8-11 pm every week night and I work one day over the weekend. With no job prospects in sight after December.

      I am miserable. And I think I’m done. The question is, what on earth do I do next?!

      • Jen

        those hours sound awful. Hope you find somewhere else to put your talents to good use

    • Stephanie

      I work for my sanity. I wasn’t very good at being a stay at home mum, and when the kids were at kinder and I had some hours to myself, I wasted them – not achieving anything constructive while I waited for pickup time. Now that they are at school, I work school hours mainly to keep myself busy. Yes, the money is nice, but I realised whilst on Maternity leave how much I needed to feel ‘useful’, ‘relevant’ and all those things. I was a fulltime mum out of necessity, but it led to depression, anxiety and a real loss of self worth.

      I chose to be a high school teacher after I finished school because i liked the admin/record keeping, yet social side to the job. It was very stressful pre kids as I taught seniors. Now I teach juniors and I find it’s almost like a ‘hobby’. I get the same pay as a VCE teacher without the angst. Plus I get school holidays.

      I’d love to do something else, but this isn’t the time. Maybe one day…

    • Jen

      I’m an occupational therapist which is an awesome profession, I first heard about it when a Yr 12 in the year before me chose it and somehow it made it to the top of my uni preferences and I got accepted second round offers.
      6 years out of uni and I’ve only worked fulltime for about 7-9months. I loved my first job but different factors lead to my husband and I chosing to have children early so the past couple of years i’ve gone between maternity leave and part-time work. I’ve recently returned to work after about 18mths full-time SAHM which I loved but i’ve chosen to go back mostly to make sure I don’t lose my skills/confidence.
      I am incredibly lucky to have financial security through my husbands work and a position i could go back to just one day a week. I’m pretty passionate about OT and love my clients but struggle working basically from home and at the moment its just about keeping in the profession – I hope one day to get my drive for work back (maybe when the kids go to school) and maybe in a different position where flexibility isnt the core criteria

      • https://kikiandtea.com/ Tamsin Howse

        I’d love to hear more about that job! I’m not very familiar with the field.