Why do we work?

This question has been on my mind lately. Outside of the obvious need for food, shelter and clothing – for ourselves and our family (if that applies) – why do YOU work?
For me, it’s something I really enjoy doing. I’ve always loved art, graphics, words (gray matter), ads, photos, films, etc. One of my college art teachers thought he was criticizing me when he said that everything I created looked like it belonged in an advertisement. Ha! He never really understood why my ultimate goal was to be a Creative Director, because his thing was “fine art.”
In pondering this question I’ve thought a lot about the folks in our world who do the same thing, day in and day out. The people inside “plants” who have a specific task and are often timed and rated according to the repetition and quality of their work. I’m thankful for these workers because simple things like the chair I sit in wouldn’t be easily available, or nearly as comfortable, if I had to create my own. The car I drive would be WAY too expensive, as the streamlined process of a car manufacturing plant has made it possible for most folks to own some kind of vehicle.
I have often wondered how these people stay engaged and happy in their daily work? Is it that they know what needs to be done and don’t have many unexpected challenges to deal with? That they can leave work at work and not take it home with them? I’d suppose it’s the relationships they form that aid in their happiness rating. And, the challenge of finding a better way to get the “thing-a-ma-jig” completed. Plus, the comfort of knowing exactly what you’ll be doing each day.
In our world at CurrentMarketing, it’s quite the opposite. We have new challenges every day with new technology, new products and services to market, and new “vehicles” for getting the message to our target audiences. It’s a full-time job just staying on top of Facebook and their constant need to re-invent the user experience. New typefaces, new photo/video techniques, new twists on familiar phrases…all keep our jobs fun and exciting. And, it’s so competitive too. The thrill of a client sharing the amazing results they’ve experienced has always been one of the greatest rewards for me. That, and knowing the “sky is the limit” when it comes to having ideas; and, the fun we have in generating/implementing them.
Ultimately, I believe we work to serve each other, no matter what you do for a living. And so we should serve each other with honesty and integrity, and the joy that we want from others when they serve us. “Give more than we take.” Leave “it” better than we found it. I think being “service-oriented” is right there with being the best at what your company does. Of course you want to have the best product, or in our case, the best ideas. And then our level of service should be equally as important. (For both our external and internal clients.) It seems simple enough: do what you say you will do – when you said you would do it – and with a great attitude. Wouldn’t the world be a lot better if we all made the act of serving joyful! Heck, it might not feel like “work” any longer.