Is it possible to love your work, or does your love become work?

[Damien]

please share your experiences.

 

[New]

I remember when I was working at the grocery store when life became work...but I can't say I've had a job that I loved. Maybe when I'm older.

 

[Rogue Robot]

please share your experiences.

you first.

 

[Binge Artist]

What does it mean, for "your love to become work"?

Are you talking about, for example, someone who always used to love writing, but after becoming a writer, found writing to be a tedious chore?

 

[phazeshifter]

Are you talking about, for example, someone who always used to love writing, but after becoming a writer, found writing to be a tedious chore?

I believe this is the intent of the question. I have always been told this while groiwng up.... "Never decide to pick a career doing something that you already love to do as a hobbie. It will no longer be a fun outlet or hobbie and will be associated with work as it is needed to be done daily, not on your own time anymore. It is at this point where you will lose the love you once had and forever lose the ability to enjoy a hobbie you once loved"

 

[ebola?]

I'm giving it a try.
Truth be told, I'm probably ideally suited for 'perpetual undergrad', but that's not really a job...
Teaching at uni/doing research is pretty cool, but I have my gripes.

ebola

 

[Kanga]

What does it mean, for "your love to become work"?

Are you talking about, for example, someone who always used to love writing, but after becoming a writer, found writing to be a tedious chore?

If this is what he is talking about then I have totally felt this.

I love working with/playing with computers, until I started working at Staples and fixing computers. At first I was like omg what an awesome job. It only took a couple weeks before I absolutely hated my only hobby.


Now though, I don't LOVE working, but I love the work I do. I work with autistic kids and their families, I also take kids away from parents who think it is easier to beat a child than it is to raise it. I love my kids, I love the work I do, but I hate being at work.

 

[Damien]

I believe this is the intent of the question. I have always been told this while groiwng up.... "Never decide to pick a career doing something that you already love to do as a hobbie. It will no longer be a fun outlet or hobbie and will be associated with work as it is needed to be done daily, not on your own time anymore. It is at this point where you will lose the love you once had and forever lose the ability to enjoy a hobbie you once loved"

Yes this is exactly what I meant. I've never done a job I loved. In retrospect I really enjoyed working in a sandwich shop but that won't really pay the bills. Thanks for all the replies!

 

[chucky1432]

When I was doing my internship in guidance counseling it was great, it's what I want to do, and when I find a job, I will feel complete at least for now.......

 

[satricion]

i'm giving it a try.
Truth be told, i'm probably ideally suited for 'perpetual undergrad', but that's not really a job...
teaching at uni/doing research is pretty cool, but i have my gripes.

Ebola

I'm in the same position. I enjoy academic work, I feel like I was made for it. It's an escape for me in the same way a hobby is, but I get to do it all the time. It also helps me with my anxiety, since it's like going into another world. It also me away from some less than healthy habits I have a tendency to fall into. Like, for example, smoking weed every day and spending hours looking at mediocre webcomics. I can't do my work if I'm on drugs all the time and that's the main reason that I cut down on them so substantially.

When do you finish your phd?

 

[leiphos]

I am a college student in the USA studying creative writing (poetry, specifically). Writing has been my passion since I was about 8 years old, but I became serious about it at age 12 or 13.

Most of my school-work involves reading literature and analyzing it, along with writing creatively and commenting on other students' creative work.

This is what I have wanted to do all my life, and I absolutely adore it. Breaks from school actually upset me, because I miss having the sort of structure and direction I need to progress in my chosen field.

I plan on pursing a masters degree in fine arts (MFA) in poetry after college, and subsequently looking for jobs teaching either writing or literature. I have completely dedicated my life to this subject, and it is my love. My one true love.

Yes, it is work, but accomplishing anything is work. And accomplishment is the manifestation of passion, at least for me. Writing is my passion, and studying, creating, reading, etc. is the means by which I engage in it. Therefore, I love my work. At the same time, my love has not become work in a negative sense.

 

[ebola?]

When do you finish your phd?

eventually. basically, when i finish quals and the dissertation. mean time to graduate is 8 years (including masters). this is a long program in a long-program based country.
...
My biggest hurdle is that I'm apt to speculate and adept thereat, but actually conducting research? eek.

 

[satricion]

8 years! Holy shit! Here in Australia you do your undergrad, and then you do an honours year which is the year where you demonstrate that you could one day be a grownup academic: you do your own research and maybe, if you're really good, it might be good enough to publish (with a bit of work).

Then you go into a phd program. There is no coursework, you have to read and learn everything yourself, and you have three years to go from the vessel of ignorance that is an honours student, to a grownup academic competing for uni positions and postdocs. In that time you write a thesis based on your own work (empirical or, if you're doing a theory phd, theoretical), and you also need teaching experience (preferably lecturing as well as TA work), and you need a few publications. I'd be comfortable with three decent peer reviewed articles by the end of the phd, and hopefully some peer reviewed conference presentations as well.

Eight years to do a phd seems so luxurious...

 

[iwek]

I love my work (programming), but not all the endless documentation that goes with it