Unpopular Opinion: I’d Work Even If I Didn’t Have To

“But I don’t NEED to work”This is something a friend of mine used to tell me (a lot). She had a husband who could financially support her and was always contemplating whether she would go back to work. (Spoiler Alert: She never did)

We lived in two different realities. Sometimes, it felt like two different planets.

I too had a spouse who could financially support me. But, (…wait for it…) he didn’t HAVE to support me.My answer to her was always the same. “I don’t HAVE to work. I choose to work.”

This concept appeared foreign to her. She couldn’t compute why someone would actually choose to work.

Me?  I couldn’t understand why someone wouldn’t.

Financial independence. New ventures. Taking Risks. Failure. Personal growth. Resilience. Transformation.

These are all answers to why I actually choose work. My career is important to me. Full stop. My financial autonomy is vital. My intellectual growth is a priority. After I graduated college, I sought financial freedom. I viewed money as a variable that could be leveraged as a control mechanism.  I sought work in meritocratic environments where I could track how my performance was rewarded. It lit a fire. I became energized by my own potential. I became financially secure. I realized my value. I found my voice. Work, did this for me. It was a gift.…but unlike most gifts, this one comes with a cost.

 One that I had to be okay with. More on that to come...