Do we really need a job, or are we looking for work, something that fulfills our dreams?
They mean two entirely different things. A job involves looking for someone who is going to tell you what you are doing to do, in return for some remuneration. This has no relation to what kind of work you would want to do, what your specific skill sets are and how best you can engage yourself in a way that will bring out the best in you. It is based on your credentials, a piece of paper that qualifies you to be a financial manager, an engineer, a Project Manager, an architect and so on..
It does offer a low risk way of getting a level of security, specifically financially. However the way the “job” market is going, this stability factor is considerably decreasing. But that’s not the worst thing. What is taken away from you is the mentality that you have skills, talents that are actually worth much more than the semblance of security and pay package that the job offers. It also takes away your power to contribute to society in an independent, meaningful way.
Finding work is an entirely different mindset, at least in the true sense of the word. This involves doing what you know you are good at, assuming you do. Most individuals when asked what they want to do, don’t have a good answer except that they want to be happy, satisfied with enough time for the family etc. A job is not designed for this, it is meant to do that for the select few that own your company. Working however means you have a soul searching discussion with yourself (and those who care about you) about what you are good at. This then allows you to market those skills based on the needs of society. It also allows you to scale your work and ambitions based on the lifestyle that you want to live. A discussion on satisfaction etc. can then be had.
The numbers show why this is important. According to a Gallup poll 87% of employees “are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and less likely to be productive”. Stress levels are higher, The American Institute of Stress reports “80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress”. Companies are struggling to keep employees happy. The last company I worked for, had 70% of employees willing to leave if they found an equivalent job at another company and even willing to take a pay cut. (And this is true for most companies).
For people who work independently, getting work based on skills, the Gallop polls show an inverted (and consistent) trend. About 80% of small business owners in the particular poll shows, they would not do anything differently if they had to start all over again.
This independence, and freedom to scale your lifestyle is not welcome by our society today, instead forcing educational systems to manufacture more and more job seekers. Welcome to slavery.
Working for yourself maybe more work, but getting the feeling of being able to work for yourself, is much more valuable and satisfying. It may pay more or it may not, but it is a hedge against relying on an economy that caters only to a select few.
The transition then should be from a job to getting work. Not from a job to another job.