The title says it all.

How did we get to a place where most baby boomers work for a paycheck instead of doing what they love? I know for most of my generation (that is the last wave of the baby boomers) it is true that we go for the money more than for the gratification. We simply have a hard time understanding the younger generation’s focus on quality of life versus income.

I ended up running a software company after spending most of my career in high tech sales to executive decision makers. The sales career was challenging but mostly rewarding for the money versus the actual work.

When I first fell into running the software company I still had the same attitude- show me the money. Then I read a book Start With Why and it changed my entire perspective of why I’m here. It drilled home the idea that you cannot just work for money or recognition and be happy. You must have a bigger ideal in mind when you come to work every day. For me it is the thought that what we do makes a difference in the lives of our end users- social workers- but more importantly improves the lives of the vulnerable people they have dedicated their careers to help.

Years ago we found a newly graduated foreign student and helped him become a US citizen by hiring him and contributing to his legal fees to go through the entire process. He ended up leaving us to become a State employee due to the benefits they could provide that our small company could not match. Recently he entertained the idea of coming back to us to be able to do the programming that he dearly loves to do versus the (often tiresome) paper filing, managing and pushing he does in his government job. The offer didn't work out, however - he is still focused on getting back to what he loves most.

So it’s important in every one’s career to evaluate if they are simply putting in their time or actually enjoying what they do every day. Life is short, we should enjoy every sandwich!