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Like all human action, our economic behavior is purposeful. By this I mean we work because we want to achieve something. We want to improve conditions. We want to be more satisfied with life, and more happy.

Some are happy working for security and comfort, while others are happy working for creativity or independence. Neither preference is right or wrong. Most of us lay somewhere in the middle.

Value is ultimately subjective to your own personal viewpoint. Someone may be willing to work 80+ hours a week because they like the extra money, while someone else may prefer to work only 20 hours a week and enjoy a more modest living. Again, neither is right or wrong. You have to ask yourself, “What am I working for?”

However, sometimes we substitute our values for someone else’s values without realizing it.

We are raised to believe that listening to our schools and parents is the only means to financial success. We are told to be obedient, to adopt their world views, to go to college, get a degree, and then get a job that fits our studies. That is the path of today’s so-called “American dream.” And if we are really good at following orders, we will end up with a decent salary.

However, renowned teacher John Taylor Gatto describes here how our learning institutions are designed to inhibit independence, self-determination, and creativity, and instead their purpose is to process children like “human resources,” and to categorize children according to the demands of the economy.

The problem with this arrangement is that we are conditioned and led to fulfill the economic vision of someone else, perhaps a corporate boss, or a politician, or a bureaucrat, instead of pursuing our own demands.

Of course, it is never easy to pursue our own demands, especially when we are so used to being cogs in a machine, not thinking enough for ourselves, and instead following some predetermined path. Don’t get me wrong – people aren’t automatons – we have our own free will. But we often inhibit our own will from being expressed, often to avoid conflict, because we are afraid of the consequences if we step out of the current system.

This is why I would like to see a call to action among individuals who want to live more freely. I want to see more people follow their own vision, become an entrepreneur, or organize with friends of family to create alternative sources of income and sustainability. Don’t leave yourself completely at the whim of some corporate executive or bureaucrat. Be productive in a way that is meaningful to you.

This is why I tell people all of the time, “build your career around your life, not your life around your career.” You have a responsibility for how you live your life. You can choose to work underneath other people, even those who you despise, or you can choose a line of work that is more fulfilling.

Again, value is subjective, so i can’t speak for you on exactly what you should want. But when I see people complaining about their everyday routine I have to ask myself, “Why not do something about it?”

Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself to see if you should pursue a career change:

How happy am I with my current job?

Do I believe in this company’s ethics and the value they offer to society?

Do I respect my boss?

Do I get along with most of my coworkers?

If something is lacking, is the extra income or security worth the trade-off?

What are some realistic alternatives?

If I could be doing anything I wanted, what would it be?

Is there a way I can make a transition to something better?

I’m not saying you need to make a change, but it is never a bad idea to consider one. Sometimes if we don’t take a step back, we find ourselves pursuing long-term goals we never had any intention of pursuing. Years down the line we may wonder, “What was it all for?” And to avoid this situation, we should live more consciously, by asking ourselves what we value and what we want. Sometimes a more meaningful life can triumph a more economically prosperous one. And other times a more meaningful life can even lead to more economic prosperity. Those decisions are up to each individual.

If you find you want to make a major change, or you want to be a visionary, or an entrepreneur, try coming up with a business idea and seeing how feasible it is. It may be the most liberating thing you can do right now.

If not, maybe just focus on the smaller changes. Find out the little ways you can make your career more focused on improving your livelihood. Try to negotiate better hours, or ask for tasks you find more interesting, or see if you can have any influence over the structure of the business, like new developments or projects. Be more lively at business meetings, share your opinion, and be more concerned about the well-being of the company. If you can take on a greater role, or if you can understand why your job is so important, you will feel more internally satisfied at work. This is a big step in building your career around your own values.

The overarching theme in this post is to be more flexible about your career in a way that best suits your lifestyle and preference. No more being a slave to hateful Mr. Boss, find a workplace where you fit in and feel productive.

I hope this helps.





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