Work = Force x Distance
Work holds a sacred space in the American psyche. In many ways what we do has become equivalent to who we are. The connection is inescapable. Meet any new person and after, "What's your name?" comes, "What do you do/where do you work?" The prioritization of work in the United States is a point of national pride--work harder, fight longer, and outdo the competition, the mantra. However, the narrative that the only thing separating us from our dreams is hard work has been in our culture since long before 1776. It could be as old as humanity itself.
In the book of Genesis, after Adam and Eve were banished from Eden, God punished them with two separate burdens. He cursed Eve with painful and dangerous childbirth and he cursed Adam with the necessity to work for his sustenance. Genesis unfortunately casts work in a negative light, which is debatable. It also lays the framework for a majority of the Bible's other chapters. In the story of Cain and Abel, God rewarded Abel for his work, while shunning Cain for his lack thereof. He is kind to Noah for his industriousness, Abraham for his sacrifice, and the Israelites for their labor. In fact, one of the most pervasive themes throughout the Bible is that God smiles on those who toil in his name.
In recent times, there has been a cultural shift in the West away from work and towards work-life-balance, but this is also nothing new. Humans have been flirting with the line between work-a-holism and abject laziness since time immemorial. A shrewd analysis of the tension between these poles might reveal an underlying misconception about work, though. Consider the following: Which is worse, a man who works 100-hour weeks, yet spends no time with his children, or a man do does the bare minimum at work so that he can enjoy his free time with his family? It would seem that not all work is made equal, which was exactly the message from Cain and Abel. The meaning of work surpasses its absolute quantity.
Meaningful work is one of most important determinates of physical, mental, and emotional well-being. We are called, for various reasons, to devote our time and attention to our careers, hobbies, and passions. Some of these pursuits may be "nobler" than others, but the only thing that can make them ignoble is if they are pursued with lackluster. The formula for work is force applied over a distance. That means that the highest quality of work requires both investment (force) and duration (distance). If we are willing to commit to both of those with our fullest potential, then the sacrifice will be sufficient and the work rewarding.
We can't expect more than we put in. Even the most fortunate people have to choose where to direct their gifts. Make no mistake, you too are fortunate. You were given the ability to act on the world--to act in the world. Finding out exactly how and what that looks like is up to each and every one of us, but here are some guiding principles:
It will feel hard, especially at first,
You will want to quit and find something different.
Yet, there is nothing else you would rather be doing.
The rewards will speak for themselves.
No one can do your work but you.
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