What If You Didn’t Have to Work?

Day 15

Unlike the other “6 Things You Must Do To Become an Instant Super Hero” articles, I have no answers. Only questions. Perhaps through my questioning, you’ll find your own answers. Come with me. Seriously, what would you do if all of your responsibilities were taken care of? What if you didn’t have to do something every day so you could eat food or pay for Netflix or take care of children or pay back loans or save for your “future”? You could in theory sit in a Chinese food-induced coma until they bring the cranes to lift you out 10 years and 400 pounds later. Or you could finger paint all day. Or both.

Would you live your dreams? You know, that thing you REALLY want to do. That thing you think you’d be excited to wake up to every damn day. But that might be bad public policy because if everyone lived out their dreams then would any of the shitty jobs get done? And a shitty job has nothing to do with how much money someone makes, by the way. I know people who are fulfilled making less than $40K and people who are miserable making hundreds of thousands of dollars. I define a shitty job as something you do out of fear of losing it. You’re a robot, a cog in the system. It’s a job you don’t give two fucks about as soon as you clock out. It might be something you hate and tell yourself you’re going to quit, only to be blindsided with a reality gut check that you need to eat for the next six months. Or worse it’s something that makes you feel secure and comfortable but bored out of your mind. It’s something that involves no risk. That’s a shitty job. And perhaps a shitty job has more to do with the person than the job. Perspective is key.

I guess.

But what about people who like their jobs? If you were given the opportunity not to do it, would you? Is there something else you really would want to do but silly things like money, kids (selfish creatures they are) and friend’s opinions get in your way? What would YOU do if all the practical shit was taken care of? What would you go after? Who would you help? What would you create? Or would you be a dog off the leash, gate open, standing there with your tail behind your legs, waiting for your owner to give you your next meal?