The world is your lobster (Part 1)

Doctor. Nuclear physicist. Teacher. Circus performer. Dog groomer. Plumber. Bee keeper. Private investigator. Ballerina. Tattoo artist. Ice cream van driver. Crime scene cleaner....

The list goes on, the options are plentiful and there is something to suit even the craziest of personalities (professional skydiving, anyone?) So, how on earth can we even begin to decide what we're going to do with our days. And why does it matter? Why do we even have to work? And if we do, can't we just do something that pays the bills, enough for us to enjoy the other parts of our lives? The average human spends 91250 hours working in a lifetime. That's a lot of hours, so surely it's important to work out what we actually want from those 91250 hours. Money? Growth? Fun? Ladders to climb? Relationship? New experiences?

People say they want to work to live, not live to work, but the fact is that, whatever way you put it and whatever your motivations, you're probably going to have to work for a significant proportion of your life. We are not made to be idle. In my job, I see a lot of people who have been off work for significant amounts of time because of injuries. Most of them enjoy the first couple of days off work, after which, they start to mildly lose their minds.

We are made for stimulation, productivity, challenges, interactions, growth.

With the amount of time we spend at work, it has a huge influence on who we are and how we live. On the way we see things. On the way we treat people. On our energy, health and mood. On the decisions we make. So it is worthwhile making sure that we're in a place that affects those things in a good way. If your job makes you tired and grumpy and that then makes you avoid people or be plain rude to them, maybe it's not the right one for you. If your job excites you and fulfills you, chances are life will be much better for you and those around you. So, I know I haven't told you what you should do to find that excitement and fulfillment, but this has to be the first step: realising that what you do matters, so answer a few questions for me...how do you feel about your job? What kind of person are you when you're doing your job? Is your job leading you to where you want to go? The answers to those questions may give you an idea of where you are and where you should be.