I cannot face with comfort the idea of life without work; work and the free play of the imagination are for me the same thing, I take no pleasure in anything else.
Sigmund FreudRead
In an ideal world, nobody's work would be just about the money. People could pursue excellence in what they do, take pride in achievement, and derive meaning from knowing that their work improved the lives of others.
Interpretation
Work should be motivated by a desire for excellence and making a positive impact, rather than just financial gain.
This quote by Barry Schwartz emphasizes the importance of finding purpose and fulfillment in one's work beyond monetary compensation. It suggests that an ideal work environment would allow individuals to strive for excellence, take pride in their accomplishments, and find personal meaning in how their contributions positively affect others' lives.
In practice
In a motivational speech about job satisfaction.
I cannot face with comfort the idea of life without work; work and the free play of the imagination are for me the same thing, I take no pleasure in anything else.
Work is what structures adults' lives: it gives us purpose, focus, a set of responsibilities, and an identity. So when people are not participating in the labour market, all sorts of other things often start to go wrong.
The purpose of work is to give people a chance to utilize and develop their faculties; to enable them to overcome their ego-centeredness by joining others in a common task; and to bring for the goods and services needed for a becoming existence.
Sometimes it gets boring. No justice is supposed to say that. But, you know, there's drudgery in every job you're going to do.
Our jobs determine to a large extent what our lives are like. Is what you do for a living making you ill? Does it keep you from becoming a more fully realized person? Do you feel ashamed of what you have to do at work? All too often, the answer to such questions is yes. Yet it does not have to be like that. Work can be one of the most joyful, most fulfilling aspects of life. Whether it will be or not depends on the actions we collectively take.
Some 80% of your life is spent working. You want to have fun at home; why shouldn't you have fun at work?
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