All Shapes and Sizes
Right on cue! I received an extremely harsh message from an acquaintance after yesterday's post. For context, I shared a short but powerful testimonial from a friend who decided to pursue work that matters. In her particular situation, that work involved starting her own small business. I won't reveal all the expletive details from yesterday's criticism, but here's one sentence that sums up their perspective of yesterday's post: "Not everyone can just quit their job and start a business."
Do you see what he did here? I wrote a post expressing this aspirational idea that each of us should pursue work that matters, and his internalization of this message is that the only work that matters is business ownership. Being an employee automatically equals misery, and being a business owner equals something good. Then, for whatever reason, he excluded himself from being able to have his own business.....seemingly meaning he was condemned to misery.
I try to choose my words carefully. Never have I said the secret to happiness, meaning, or fulfillment is self-employment. Rather, I'm an advocate for work that matters. Here's the thing about work that matters. All work matters, but not all work matters to you, and not all work matters to me. For my friend in yesterday's post, hers was creating a small business in a field that fills her tank. Her business is uniquely her.
I have a friend who is living his absolute best life. He's a middle manager at a boring-to-me job at a large and stodgy corporation. He's had the same job for nearly 20 years. He loves it, and it fills his tank.
I have another friend who just started her tenth year as a middle school teacher. She loves it! Sure, there are messy and stressful components to the work, but she's living her calling.
There's also another friend who is a barista at a coffee shop. He looks forward to work almost every day, and it fills his bucket. The work can be draining, but the relationships, variety of work, and environment are perfect for his wiring and lifestyle.
It's not about being an employee vs. not being an employee. It's about pursuing work that matters. For many people, like the person who lashed out at me, it's easier to find reasons to concede defeat and sit in their misery than to face the challenge of pursuing work that matters. Or, in the words of my friend from yesterday's post, "I knew in my head and heart that it could be out there somewhere - I just had to do really hard things to find it."
Work that matters matters. It comes in all shapes and sizes. It's different for everyone. It might mean being an employee. It might mean owning your own business. It might mean doing ministry. It might mean doing something I don't even know about! But there's one common thread to all of it: it does exist, it will be a difficult journey, and it will be so worth it.
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