To ask what you do for a living if you genuinely love what you do?

[waterfallswillfindyou]

Like many people, I'm not fulfilled by what I do for a living. At all.

I was chatting to a doctor the other day who loves what she does - even with all the crap that NHS staff put up with - and it really hit home how I've never had that feeling. Work has always been a means to pay the bills. The money is nice, but I'm starting to struggle with not finding it rewarding, and am considering taking a pay cut for job satisfaction.

If you actually love your job - you're not just doing it for money - what do you do, please? And is it the role you actually love or the employer? (I have been wondering if working for a charity I believe in might be the answer, and am doing the sums to see if I could afford to live on third-sector wages.) I feel stuck, and I'm looking for inspiration to start researching a career change.

(Even if it's not something I can actually do, still interested in your answers. I've spent my whole adult life expecting everyone to be miserable at work, and now I'm wondering if that doesn't have to be true.)

[bert3400]

Own a business - and not a made up MLM business.
Do I love it, no but what I do love is the income, the flexibility, the fact we can work anywhere in the world - only constriction is time difference - we live in sunny Europe ( which is effing freezing atm) and I love that.

[waterfallswillfindyou]

@JettyB123

What job do you currently do OP? I feel i couldve written your post myself! I'm a nurse, don't love it but have good and bad days. Some days I hope I catch covid just so I don't have to go in, other days it feels like the loveliest job in the world!
I think the fact my DH has a cushy WFH job which he loves, he never gets stressed and earns 4× my salary grates on me sometimes!!

I'm an accountant. Walking cliche, I know.

I did it for the money when I was younger, but now, especially after suffering some personal losses, working for the money no longer feels good enough. I just feel very disillusioned and want a job that doesn't involve me having a permanent knot in the pit of my stomach.

I'm seeing a theme of NHS and third sector running through the replies, which wasn't wholly unexpected. I've been looking at the vacancies of any charity connected to a cause I'm passionate about, but there doesn't seem to be much going. I am looking into all of the ideas suggested so far though!

[iwishiwereafirefly]

We were talking about this at work the other day: if we won the lottery (which none of us actually play), would we still do the job? The answer was yes.

I'm a senior manager in a brilliant charity, something I feel so passionate about I've even left them a legacy in my Will. If I did win the lottery-which-I-don't-play, I'd probably drop to a 3 day week though just I could invest time into some other interests too.

[TaylosAmie]

@NotRainingToday

I work in biotechnology, making new cancer drugs. As in, designing and creating new immunotherapy drugs (not manufacturing them) that are better than chemotherapy and better than other treatment options.
Quite senior, quite well paid. I love it!

Please can you share what you studied at University? 🙏

[parietal]

I'm a university professor and run a research lab. I love the research part of my job - finding out new things that no one else in the world knows and building / using new technologies is what makes me get up in the morning. there is a stack of dull admin too, but I still love my job.

[LyTinWheedle]

I'm a radiographer and I absolutely love it, incredibly interesting and varied job and you get to meet lots of great people every day and work with fantastic teams all through the hospital, what's not to love? Fortunate that I inherited a nice amount and could 'retire' but it's much better working (part time) in the NHS, just for the colleagues tbh. But the awesome kit we get to play with is also part of the appeal.

The number of other NHS professions posting on here just goes to show really!

[BitFedUpTheNoo]

Curator: I look after some fantastic collections and it's a real privilege but it's a hard field to get anywhere decently paid/recognised in. Expertise and experience is exploited and the pay is crap (because it's female dominated and v middle class).

If I won the lottery I would probably work in a small even more poorly paid museum....

[AboutMyNewCat]

The number of other NHS professions posting on here just goes to show really!

It's very uplifting to read.

[Malaisey]

I think it’s not possible for everyone to love their job. Even if you take away barriers of education/logistics, a lot depends on personality. I am naturally lazy, easily bored and like pleasing myself (like many of us!) so although I’ve had jobs I found interesting and enjoyable, I’ve never loved them more than I would love not working. My sister loves her job - she’s a criminal defence lawyer. The pay is bad but she loves helping people.

[familyissues12345]

I work in a charity organisation, part time. I put my heart and soul into it, and whilst it's challenging and stressful at times, I've never done anything else more rewarding.

[HenryCavillsPerfectTeeth]

I'm an IT technician in public sector procurement. Love the employer, love the job. My boss is fantastic and my colleagues are lovely. I look forward to Mondays and never dread going back after time off.

By contrast I used to work in a call centre for a bank known for its customer service and often used to cry before during and after shifts. I'd wake up in the morning with terrible anxiety and desperately try to think of reasons not to log in.

So many of the customers were vile and the business allowed it.

[FionaJT]

I'm a theatre Stage Manager, have always wanted to work in theatre and constantly feel so lucky to be able to earn a living basically doing my hobby. I took a break and did a 'proper job' while my daughter was small and just didn't feel like myself. Now I co-run two small companies, so have much more control and flexibility, and a wider range of responsibilities. Still doesn't really feel like actual work.

[Palmfrond]

I work on my own manufacturing a pretty niche product. I’d still do it if I won the lottery.
Before that I worked for a small firm doing niche jobs that were very varied, challenging, often quite drudgey, but mostly they were a great team of assorted oddbods, geezers and hippies. I loved that too.

[Edithisoverthere]

I'm a ghostwriter and do genuinely love it - I'm self-employed, I make my own hours, I never dread my days, I work with fascinating people and it's a privilege to hear their stories. I wouldn't continue if I won the lottery though (not that I do it) but I'm not entirely sure why that's the case, it's just occurred to me reading this 🤔

[WhatLikeItsHard]

Off topic, but all the people saying they would still do their job if they won the lottery...really?

I enjoy aspects of my job (nurse), but if I won the lottery I would be gone like a shot. I'd find something else useful to do, eventually 😎

It actually winds me up when people say that they would stay working, cos I think a win would be wasted on them 😅🤣

[cheapskatemum]

I work for a charity which provides care for young people (foster parents, residential children's homes, supported living for care leavers). Some days are tough, but the sense of achievement after getting through them, the camaraderie and teamwork of colleagues and the knowledge that you are making a difference to extremely vulnerable children, make me love it. I also love how my life's experiences have equipped me for the rôle.

If I suddenly become extremely rich, I would still work for the charity as a volunteer.

[vodkaredbullgirl]

Care Supervisor working night shifts, in a dementia unit. Been with the same company for 18 yrs, they do pay more than other care homes.

[StepAwayFromGoogling]

I'm a Corporate Responsibility Manager. Love my job, love my team, love my manager.

[SamTG]

Violinist. I’d actually pay to do my job (well most of it).

[Undisclosedlocation]

Yes, really. I have enough money to not work. I tried it. I didn’t like it

A lottery win would be spent and enjoyed and passed around family and friends and give me enormous pleasure but work would still factor. Maybe part time, but definitely not none whatsoever

[ElizaSkye]

Primary school teacher. Like many there are things I dislike (managerial administration, fads and trends, arbitrary assessment etc etc) but the fundamentals of my job - supporting very young children to learn and play- I have always and will always adore.

[WhatLikeItsHard]

@AboutMyNewCat

The number of other NHS professions posting on here just goes to show really!

It's very uplifting to read.

...I'm balancing it out 🤣.

My lottery plan involves training as a personal trainer and yoga teacher and offering free sessions and lessons to staff at my hospital. I would also love to be able to have a dog and train them to be a therapy dog to visit patients. That and lots of holidays 🤣

[MummaofWA]

Psychiatric Nurse. Love it! Can’t imagine doing anything else.

[Fairislefandango]

I'm a teacher. I have loved my job, tolerated my job and hated my job at different times in different schools. Tbh I didn't think I'd ever get another job in a school I'd love, but I seem to have found a great one. It's hard work, and the full time workload is a shock to the system after years of part time, but it's great. I wason the point of throwing the towel in after 28 years in the profession, and I'm really glad I didn't!

[Oblomov22]

Similar to MagicDeskChair, Part time Finance Manager for small'ish firms. Love it.