EVERYDAY JOURNAL - Dec 30, 2023
For us worker-bees.
There are only a few reasons to work, as far as I can see.
Only three reasons to work any job. Only three reasons to play music. Three reasons to write. Three reasons to draw and paint.
A fourth, optional reason does sneak in as motivation for working, but it is more of a physical than a creative job, so by nature, it is rare.
Reason one.
How do I see myself? What is my perception of me doing this or having done this task? Am I proud of myself? Do I feel I have really accomplished something worthwhile? Do I stick my chest out and do a victory lap, or a “how ya like me now?” strut?
Reason Two.
How do others see me? How do I think they see me? What is my perception of their opinion of me? Any honors? Any trophies? Any mentions or “atta boys?” Do you feel like others wish they were you or like you?
Reason Three.
Doing this job will cause money to come into my possession. Possibly more will come as I get better at doing this job.
Reason Four. Optional, Infrequent.
This job just needs to be done. Like planting a garden or doing the dishes, it just needs to be done. Rarely does anything creative NEED to be done. Its existence is unknown until its creation, so it can almost never, by definition, fill a need except in the case of a solution. This is the biggest irregularity.
This includes a medical need or problem that can call for a solution that combines elements of creativity, problem-solving, and plain old work. sometimes repeated and continuous work
Last thoughts.
In summation, there are but three motivations to complete a task. The first two involve our perception of ourselves, and other people’s perception of us (What we THINK others THINK about us.) The GLORY.
The third reason is the payment. The TREASURE.
And only the occasional aberration in the group of motives is the need for our contribution.