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What's your primary motivation for working
Old 12-28-2010, 05:45 PM   #1
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What's your primary motivation for working

LifeHacker.com is running on a poll on why people are working and whether they love their job. Oh my.

What Is Your Primary Motivation for Working?

(you can view the results even if you don't vote)
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Old 12-28-2010, 05:51 PM   #2
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"I like the freedom and flexibility my job provides."




(Sometimes I just can't help it...)
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Old 12-28-2010, 06:27 PM   #3
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Did not see the golden handcuffs answer as an option...not so much working with a sucky job with pay...just too young to leave the systems as they were written!
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Old 12-28-2010, 07:22 PM   #4
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I actually loved my job, even after FI, until mega-corp asked me to start a specialist group. Was a big deal (no budget, no request denied) for a year or two. When it became excess overhead, I, as a good employee, decided to save them a few bucks per year. I thank them for the shove. If I never left the old job, I`d still be at the old job, and I wouldn`t even think about leaving without a pine box around me.

Life is good if you are given a reason to enjoy it.
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Old 12-28-2010, 08:03 PM   #5
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"I am very well paid and that makes my job worthwhile. 6.74% (345 votes)"

I'm in the minority, obviously. If I were not well paid now, I would not continue to w*rk. If I had not been well paid in the past, I wouldn't be able to make that choice.
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Old 12-28-2010, 08:34 PM   #6
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I used to like my job but the fun went out of it a long time ago. Now it's a case of being very well paid to do something that is unchallenging and tiring (long hours). If I had more than a few years to go, I'd take a pay cut to look for something more interesting.
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Old 12-28-2010, 08:40 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigger View Post
LifeHacker.com is running on a poll on why people are working and whether they love their job.
For about the first 10 years I was working for the fun of it, and for another couple years because I was well paid, and for the last eight years we were ignorant afraid of where the Navy would send my (also active duty) spouse if I left active duty.

I think the "Why are you working?" question has to be answered every morning when the alarm clock rings...
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Old 12-28-2010, 11:31 PM   #8
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Just finished totaling my 2010 numbers. $22k net for 300 hours of playing on the water. The rest of the time I play on the water. I'm OK with that
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Old 12-29-2010, 02:44 AM   #9
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I like my job. My primary motivations for still working are 1) to be able to retire early - therefore volunteer more 2) to enjoy life.
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Old 12-29-2010, 03:55 AM   #10
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From time to time, I enjoyed my job over the years.... but wages and benefits are the only reason I work.
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Old 12-29-2010, 10:15 AM   #11
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I only work enough to:

1. avoid being called a slacker by DW
2. make enough $ to avoid tapping into retirement savings
3. buy toys I wouldn't buy if I was fully retired
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Old 12-29-2010, 11:09 AM   #12
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I am pleasantly surprised by the poll results. 26% said that they didn't like their job. Almost 48% said they loved or liked their job. The rest said they found it worthwhile, important, or liked the flexibility.

In my early career, I loved the work I did and felt I was adequately paid. In later years, I worked for the money, but liked my job.
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Old 12-29-2010, 11:37 AM   #13
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I work to pay for all the expenses of my family...

I enjoy the job, so that is good... if I did not enjoy I would find another.... I have done that twice before...
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Old 12-29-2010, 11:45 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fireup2020 View Post
Did not see the golden handcuffs answer as an option...not so much working with a sucky job with pay...just too young to leave the systems as they were written!

Roger that....but I'm gettin' closer every day! In fact, lemmee see here....ummm....I believe I have exactly 2 years, 20 days. Or.....750 days!
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Old 12-29-2010, 12:09 PM   #15
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This is where my mind starts spinning around. DH is retiring end of this year and I plan to retire the year after. I still like my job. However, I am nowhere nearly as motivated to be excellent at it as I was for the first 30 years. Leaving would mean that somebody younger and more motivated would replace me.

So....my altruistic motive is to retire for the good of the kids. That way I can dismiss the fact that I still enjoy the job. The What I did today thread keeps my mind feeling generous.
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Old 12-29-2010, 12:12 PM   #16
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At different points over the years I could have honestly checked any/all of those boxes. But I believe that while I quite infrequently made any major contributions to society, at least once a week I made major improvements to at least some individual's life. I'm not sure I could have done that job without knowing that. A shame that, at the moment, only 6% of the respondents feel that their work is important.
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Old 12-29-2010, 12:22 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronstar View Post
I only work enough to:

1. avoid being called a slacker by DW
2. make enough $ to avoid tapping into retirement savings
3. buy toys I wouldn't buy if I was fully retired
+1

I also like my work, most of the time that is. I get access to some late technologies, expensive software and tools that I would not want to buy with my own dimes if I were to play with that stuff as a hobby, which I still like to do.

My 1099-work that I do at home allows me to buy new computer equipment as business expenses, and downgrade the older equipment as hand-me down for personal use.

And because I already pay for my own health insurance, have no 401k contribution, the marginal pay for my part-time work is a lot higher per hour than what I used to get from my megacorp paycheck.

Fun aside, it is difficult to say no to money.
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Old 12-29-2010, 12:38 PM   #18
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I need to work to have affordable health insurance.
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Old 12-29-2010, 12:40 PM   #19
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A little surprised by the poll results. After reading this site for about a year I assumed most people hate their jobs? Most of my career I really enjoyed my work. I think a large part of that enjoyment was knowing I was being well paid to do it.
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Old 12-29-2010, 12:44 PM   #20
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I continue to work for retiree health benefits, only 610 more days!

I am very well paid and that makes my job worthwhile. 6.7% (485 votes)
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