Ways of Working

There are two ways of working worth noting and comparing, for they often times factor more into the quality of a person's life than any other variable.

The first way of working is commonly depicted in popular television shows and pop songs like "Working for the Weekend." From the big picture down to the small details, work is an unpleasant necessity of survival. Retiring in the shortest amount of time with savings sufficient to never work again is the ultimate aim. In between, weekends and vacation become sacred intonations of that paradise to come precisely for being time not spent on the job. The workday itself tends to feel long and drawn out. Personal habits such as quick breakfasts, exaggerated caffeine consumption, and the general need to "veg out" at night develop as mechanisms for coping with a routine absent passion. The thought of turning back the clock 25 years, or even just a day, to do it all over again is terrifying. This way of working cannot be over soon enough.

The second way of working is fundamentally different. Passion is the hallmark of this approach, and the act of working is itself the central importance. Vijay Singh is our example. Rather than save as much as possible, Vijay spends a good portion of his income on personal trainers, coaches, doctors, and nutritionists, all with an eye toward extending the length of his career. Time away from tournaments and the long off season are dedicated to intensive physical and mental training, an edge he sees necessary to remain competitive with much younger athletes once the next workweek arrives. His diet resembles punishment: heavy restrictions of bad foods (which taste good) replaced by massive consumption of good foods (which taste bad). The thought of turning back the clock 25 years is bliss. Just ask Vijay, who, in a recent interview, said: "My body feels great for a 40 year old. But like I told my trainer, I want my body to feel great for a 30 year old. It gets harder every year, but as long as you still have that desire you can do it. And I still have that desire."

In short, one way of working is as a means to retirement, which can also be looked at as a state of non-work. In other words, a way of being for the sake of someday not having to be that way anymore. An alternative way of working, however, values the work itself as the end. Thus it is only reasonable to want to remain in this state, and to that end individuals will sacrifice the same things coveted by individuals of the other approach. Things like free time, money, and small bodily pleasures. Of course there are probably hundreds of different interpretations that fall somewhere in between, and it's highly unlikely that everyone can find work that makes them as happy as Vijay, but it's possible for some, and that makes it worth writing about.