Weekly       eCoach

BORA Consulting - Consultancy for Entrepreneurs - Ralf Borlinghaus
contact: ralf.borlinghaus@bora-consulting.com, +41 44 58 66 157

"Do we work to be someone
or because we are someone?"

(Johannes Czwalina)

If not because of money - Why do we work? What does to work mean? Work is to do something useful for others. In a first try we could say: Division of work is more efficient and effective than subsistence economy; it provides a higher standard of life to the individual and the society. However, as soon as our basic needs are fulfilled our motivation to work is more based on psychological reasons.

We work since we want to be someone. By working we express ourselves and materialize our potential and talents. Recognized by the addressees of our work we get conscious of our  value and our importance; especially, when we are young and still not familiar with ourselves and not yet aware of our potential, labour is an important instrument to become self-conscious. That's why the unemployment of the young is so fatal, because young people are prevented from getting familiar with their personality and kept apart from themselves. It's a logical consequence that they get in rage and become frantic.

As far as we have discovered ourselves, our motivation to work changes again. It's not that important any more to prove ones potency by always taking over new challenges. Instead, we feel the need to share the plenty and fullness of our knowledge and experience with others and to generate sustainable value to our environment. It's a more altruistic component in working here. Now we work since we are someone. The turning point is quite often the midlife crisis making us look back proudly and desperately at the same time at our results achieved so far and outlook for a deeper meaning of our future life. At that stage unemployment is experienced differently: While young people are kept away from exploring themselves, the older one are prevented from sharing their experiences with others; they stuck with the fruits of their experience of life. While the younger get outraged the elder resign and get filled with bitterness.

Although for different reasons doing something useful for others and to get recognized for is essential throughout ones entire life. As long as recognition for work has exclusively to be paid in money society has to cope with the dilemma, that there is a hell of  a lot to do, while a huge number of people willing to work is forced to  be inactive and take unemployment aid instead. 

(to be continued)

 Your comment is welcome

"All paid jobs absorbe and degrade the mind."
                             Aristotele (384 BC - 322 BC)
 

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