Would you work at your job if you weren’t getting paid?
A few months ago my pastor made a comment in one of his talks that I don’t think he thought anyone would take him up on. He was talking on volunteering and he said if you have time to volunteer during the week we have plenty of work for you to do. The next day at 8:30 in the morning a guy from our church showed up to work. He worked all day and then came back the next day, and the next, and the next. In fact he hasn’t left since. Everyday this guy comes to work at the same time the staff does and most days he leaves when we leave. By the way he also volunteers during all four services on Sundays. He works his butt off and he does it as a volunteer.
Today I was working with him and I had this thought. Would you do your job if you weren’t getting paid? I think a huge sign of having passion for your job is if you would do it without getting paid. Now I know you need money to live, but if money wasn’t an option would you still work at your job? If you wouldn’t work at your job for free then your probably not passionate about it. Maybe it’s not the right job for you. I think we were created to do specific things in life. We were gifted with certain passions and desires. If your job doesn’t bring out those in you then you should change jobs. If you don’t think you can then change your attitude.
Just a thought I had today as I worked along side the hardest working non paid staff member I know.
I have always said that I would work for free. What other job out there allows you to scrape up road kill AND get to keep it! Oh boy.
i do my job for free every day, right now…lol.
I would teach for free if money wasn’t an issue. I would teach for free with an amazing attitude if I didn’t live anywhere near a beach to distract my heart.
I love what I do. If I didn’t have to support myself financially I would do my job for free. Go Air Force.
I saw my last paycheck….I think I do work for free.
If money was not an issue, I would do what I do for free and frequently do enjoy freely sharing my talent with colleagues who need my assistance with writing.
Seriously? I wouldn’t work at all if money was not a necessary part of maintaining my standard of living. Not saying I wouldn’t volunteer and try to do other good things, but I wouldn’t continue working at my current job in the capacity that I do. It’s not because I don’t like it, but because I could do more or less… it would be my choice.
But if I think about it about 3/4s of my job is “for free”. Very little of my work actually translates into any type of paycheck for me and often days, weeks sometimes months are spent with no return.
So my answer is, no I wouldn’t work for free on purpose, but yes I sometimes do.
I don’t enjoy my job. In fact, I can’t remember ever having a job that I’ve enjoyed. So no…I would not do my job if I were not getting paid. If I were asked to volunteer to do this then I would probably run.
I would do my two days a week of babysitting for free. In fact if threatened to be let go I would probably pay them to let me babysit!!
Daniel, what do you do again? I had no idea you worked with road kill 🙂
Brian, something will come soon. Maybe this is just God’s way of giving you time to write your book.
Mon, I love you.
Matt, Thanks for serving our country. You are the man!
Derrick, yikes.
Mim, that is a sign of having the right job.
DP, I think that will change for you one day. I can’t mention why on the blog but I think in the future it will change.
Scott, can you play music for a living? You seem to be passionate about that and you love it.
Kris, when Monica and I have kids I hope you are still available to help watch them!
I would do my job for free if money were no issue! I love my job! and our non-paid staffer is awesome!
I do MOST of my current jobs for free. But I do get paid for a few of my jobs. My grandmother pays me to take care of her, she gives me what she can, but I only allow her to pay me for our scheduled times. I LOVE helping her, she is my hero and I would take care of her for absolutely NO money if she would let me! Being a Wife and Mother does not provide a financial paycheck, but it is worth it! My other favorite job is my serving position at WEC. Weeworld is awesome and I LOVE teaching the 4s and 5s each Sunday! Those kids have changed my life and I am honored to be their teacher! Again, no financial paycheck but it is a blessing to me! LOVE it! I love all of my “jobs”!!!!
Rob…that’s actually one of the changes that I am trying to make. So you were just very uplifting sir. Thanks.