Thoughts about work

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
-Thomas Edison

Over the last several years, we have undergone a significant shift in our attitude toward physical work.  We once considered work something to be avoided – it was uncomfortable, it made our muscles sore, it was hot, inconvenient and any number of other associations.  Shifting from that perspective to considering work like an old friend – something that validates us, gives us purpose and produces innumerable benefits – has taken a lot of thought, determination and adjustment.  I thought I would write a bit about how we got to this perspective in case it helps anyone else.

The first obstacle we faced was deciding that the effort was worth it.  For example, when we decided to build our first 4 garden beds the decision took a while and was made a bit reluctantly – the garden beds weren’t going to build themselves and we wanted fresh vegetables!  It probably helped that we couldn't afford to hire anyone to do it for us.  So, we went out on several fall days and created our first 4 garden beds.  We complained, we drug our feet and we made a great show of being glad to be back inside when we were done.  It took us FOREVER compared to what we would do today.  At the same time though, there was a sense of pride that we had done it and the vegetables were really good!  That made the decision to expand the garden the next year easier – we had already done this once after all.  The work didn’t seem as daunting and we knew the reward would be more fresh food.  Over time deciding that something is worth the work has continued to get easier.

The next challenge was integrating work into our self-image.  We both saw ourselves as academics.  We did well in school, we liked school, we liked to read and discuss and debate.  How does that jive with wanting to go get sweaty with hand tools?  How can these 2 things go together?  It felt a little like telling the class nerd that the school was depending on them to win the basketball tournament. It just didn’t fit.

Then we discovered that there is no end of things to learn!  Learning to use a tool or build a raised bed is a different kind of learning than reading a book or taking a test, but creates the same sense of satisfaction.  We found that we could use our love of books to learn about anything we wanted to try and then we actually got to do it!  There is such a sense of satisfaction in taking something from abstract words on a page to something you can see, touch and feel.  We became hooked on finding new ways to learn and apply that knowledge.

We also had a perception that somehow people who did physical work were special and separate – they must have some kind of training that let them do that kind of work.  Our grandparents had grown their own food, but they grew up doing it.  Clearly someone taught them what to do and that’s how they became good at it, right?  We didn’t have any training or any special skills.  We didn’t even know anyone around us who did any of these things.  How would we know where to start?

We still occasionally run into this one when we contemplate trying something new.  However, after trying quite a list of new things over the last several years we can confidently say that none of it was nearly as hard as we thought it would be.  There isn’t anything we’ve done that any adult willing to try couldn’t do.  That only makes sense when you think about it.  For millennia, people survived on what they grew themselves.  That means that growing food has to be something that everyone can do, right?

An interesting side effect of work being this accessible is the sense of self confidence it breeds.  The skills don’t take long to master and from then on you have a skill you can use, teach and rely on.  When I think about how this might change people’s view of themselves and others around them, I have to wonder if having the opportunity to be good at something would make people more confident in themselves.  I think of this particularly for our children.  My kids will always know that there are tons of things they’re good at, even if none of them relate to current social norms.  It is my hope that this confidence will form the foundation they will need to go through life.  They have value – concrete, real and tangible value and ability.  That’s a powerful thing that more people should have (in my humble opinion).

So what’s the moral of this story?  Do more work!  Just kidding…mostly.  Changing our perspective from "hating" work to enjoying it has opened up a whole new worrld for us.  We are happier, healthier and more secure in our lives.  Being willing to do work has allowed us to meet so many amazing people and try so many cool things that we now can't imagine a life where we aren't working.  Work is our friend - we like it!