Work Is a Privilege

In one of my favorite Mexican movies, ‘7 Days,’ the protagonist delivers a quote that stuck in my mind:

But is work really a punishment? When I was young, I certainly thought it was. I just wanted to hang out with my friends and have fun.

Most people see work this way - as a curse, a series of undesirable tasks that need to be done to make a living, to pay the bills - a burden. In fact, if given the option to receive enough money to live for the rest of their lives, most people would choose not to work again.

But if you have ever been in a position where you had nothing to do for a prolonged period of time, you know that’s not true. Doing nothing eventually becomes boring.

As I grew older, I realized that I actually enjoy working, even when my job wasn’t something I necessarily loved doing. The thing is that we, humans, thrive by acting, by doing things. Whether at a paid job or simply taking on the daily tasks to maintain your home in order.

As Yogi Ramacharaka points out, “Work is one of the great blessings and privileges of the human race. One realizes the benefits and happiness that spring from work when performed free from attachment, and one accordingly makes use of it.”

Work is a privilege; work is your duty. You came into existence under the right conditions and circumstances for your soul to develop. You are exactly where you need to be. You gotta do what is in front of you. Think of work as something to be embraced and enjoyed.

It is a privilege to be able to express yourself creatively. It is a privilege to be able to do things that connect you with other people. It is a privilege to build something valuable to other people. It is a privilege to contribute to the betterment of humankind in whatever way suits your skills. It is a privilege to create stuff, to build, to teach. It is a privilege to serve and to help others.

Don’t view work as a burden, as something you have to do. View it as something you get to do, as a blessing, as your duty. You are a unit in the great game of life. What you do has a purpose. Play your part and play it well, the best you know how and with a positive attitude.