A few weeks ago, my 12-year-old daughter asked me, “Do you have a job yet?” At first, I was alarmed as I wasn’t sure what prompted the question. I feebly explained that I have many clients and am doing quite well. I am as busy as I would like to be. But as I thought about it more, I wondered what makes work look like work.
I’ve never been a fan of the statement, “Have a job that you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This sets an unrealistic expectation. Sometimes, work is work and sometimes extra time and effort are required that may temporarily displace other more enjoyable activities. That’s just a fact of life.
In 2023, when I began my journey toward full-time consulting, I realized that those moments of displacement had an outsized impact on my life. So, I sought to make a change to lead a happier, healthier, more balanced life, and I’ve been largely successful in that transition.
Is it perfect? No, of course not —nothing ever is. But I take pride in the fact that, for the most part, my work doesn’t look like work, as my 12-year-old knew it before.
It will be many years before she needs to make her own difficult personal and professional choices, and I hope then she can apply some of the modeled behaviors she sees to her own life.
