What is it to you? Is it accomplishment? Is it what defines you as a person? Is it a vocation, doldrum or even nothing important at all to you? How do you define work? Does it only relate to a job or profession?

I work as a system administrator for a Digital Jukebox company It's a really good gig I love it.

But what does it mean to you philosophically as a person? BTW, I'm happy you like what you do..

Philosophically was it mean to me is I can wake up each morning and go to work doing something that I really like to do. I would like to think it keeps me up beat as opposed to going to a job that I would really dislike.

I am a mathematician. It is what defines me. It's not the most important part of my life (my wife and daughter are) but it is what sets me apart from others. Even when I'm not doing math, I think like a mathematician. It's who I am.

BTW, what about you, rjwood?

...sucks if you work for others...

My job is my means to buy food at the moment. Since my parents still give me some support I don't have to rely that much on my job. I work in the IT deparment here on campus, and it has helped push me into a computer major, but that's it. I don't really feel that a person's job should define who they are, but the other way around. People that are made by their professions usually suck to hang out with and have boring lives.

Hmmm... I see your point. I guess I would really have to say that I am not defined by my job, but rather I have a job that is in keeping with how I have defined myself. A fine distinction, but a useful one. Good point.

I only work when I need to save up for something my monthly income from my Mom can't buy


Extreme Coder

And, that's exactly how it should be. People should choose jobs that correlate and enhance who they are.

I love my job

Does it define who I am .....Hell no

I hate that phrase the press use all the time...Joe Blogs Tree surgeon from Anywhere , or Mary Smith , banana bender from Timbuktu.

A person is many things ,what they do for a job should not be their only descriptive.

I admire people who have found a vocation. Mine is being a parent and father. That is what I've wanted to be as far back as I can remember. I work at that all the time, even when I'm doing this, or cleaning carpets, which is my livelihood. I have some side hobbies as well.

But that is work to me. Choosing what it is you want out of life and then living it.

I'm a believer that relationships are the key to life. Relationship with yourself first, your immediate family second, extended family and close friends third, (animals fall into family and freinds for me), then ones community and so on as personal relationships. Then there is of course those relationships which are necessary, as with money, school, god, a job (which, btw may be ones vocation, if so, it would then belong up higher then where I have it listed), ideals, opinions and what ever else is part of life. Then, it all comes back to family if we decide to start our own. All this requires work.

My work.
It's just a job; something I do to earn money.
Mind you, I do enjoy it most of the time, so I
suppose that helps.

A the moment I am a stay at home mother and while I love being here for my children it isn't all I am.

Ideally I would love to have my fiancé be a stay at home dad and me work, but then I think of all the time I would miss out with him

I enjoy working. I like having a reason to get up and have a shower in the morning. Ultimately work is to support our family - not because I want something to distract me from them. But if I didn't need the money I think I would still do some sort of work similar to what I have experience in, but not 9-5, 5 days a week.

I am experienced in an area I enjoy

I think of work in two ways ... the work I do for money and work I do "for free" that is more emotionally rewarding ... I see the second kind more like a higher purpose.

I've been careful to not mix the two, since the exchange of money seems to suck the joy out of something, and creates additional stress IMO.

I am a case worker for the mentally ill so if my work defined me I would be crazy. Not trying to be disrespectful to the mentally ill, but seriously I have to keep my work seperate from my personal life because it is very stressful at times. I do enjoy my job very much and could not imagine spending 8-10hrs a day doing something I despised. I think that would lead to a pretty misererable existence.