What does work feel like when people think about it? For some, it is a burden. I have always had a strange relationship with work. Don't get me wrong, I am not a hustle bro. I do work when I feel like it, but it is another discussion that I mostly feel like doing work. When I don't do work, I feel worse. I have to do something to make that go away. That getaway may be scrolling for some, but I get nausea when I scroll too much, may be gaming for others. I play video games too, but they have never filled the void of work.
WHY WORK FEELS EXCITING TO ME
If you have ever experienced summer holidays in your school time. Just think about that for a second. The day before the holidays were to start, how did you think about them? I feel the same way when I am about to do work. I feel the same anticipation, the 'I am about to do something', the 'something is about to happen' for work. Is my work exciting? I will not say that.
I DON'T LIKE ALL MY WORK
As a matter of fact, sometimes I hate doing it and dream of opening a cattle farm in a nearby village. I don't just talk about it, I am saving for 1 animal and will buy it (In sha Allah).
DESTRUCTIVE ADVICE
While growing up, I saw this trend everywhere: everyone was urging you to do something you love so that you don't end up in a miserable state. I used to believe that. I still advise it when someone asks for it. But it is true to a certain extent because when folks like me listen to such advice, they ignore the fact that this doesn't apply to every situation.
Imagine a person who has a retired father and he has to earn money just after he graduates. Bro, you can't advise them to follow their passion. They have to do something fast, if not, as soon as possible, so they can feed their family. They need to love the work, not the field they are working in.
DON'T LOVE THE WORK, DON'T LOVE THE FIELD
There is plenty of time to focus on and try that lofty dream later. All those people who later shifted to something they love after spending a lot of time in the thing they didn't enjoy loved the shift because they worked their asses off doing the first thing. Doing what was not your passion helps you discover your passion sometimes. And people often don't know what they love without experiencing work. They will make statements that they want to be a designer without knowing what a designer's life is like. They may start as a carpenter and eventually end up doing design there.
This brings us to the fact that we don't need to marry ourselves to a field, or work in general, we should love the goal, love the problem-solving, make a bigger dream, then do everything you need to do to get there. A few days ago I was on a meeting with Mo Rassam and I asked for book recommendations and instead of letting me know about the books he said, "Make a goal and then you will do everything, read the books, articles and change your life to achieve that goal". Of course I am adding my own stuff in his actual statement but you can't stop me, it's my article.
Don't imprison yourself in this cage of a field/profession. You will eventually get to the point where you will be doing something you enjoy, but till then, make a goal, focus on it and do what you need to do to achieve it.