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Don't let "work" mean something other people tell you to do.
I love this line so much. Every time I read it, my world opens.
It comes from Paul Graham’s essay How to Do Great Work. I’d recommend reading it.
The essay is long, and full of male-dominated metaphors. But don’t let that put you off. It’s well worth reading and considering.
He starts by saying, “The following recipe assumes you're very ambitious.”
But I’d say it’s highly relevant whether you feel ambitious or not. If you’re feeling tentative and unsure about your work, I’d say there’s just as much to glean. Because it’s by no means a formula. It’s a series of observations; about what can help and hinder in the pursuit of our work that matters.
Plus, it’s full of wee gems. Like,
“If you're interested, you're not astray."
Hope you’re having a lovely Sunday,
Kathryn
PS. If you’d like to discuss a conundrum; about work, life, balance, questions of direction, etc., I’m currently offering free chats to anyone who wants it.
There’s no catch; I just really like speaking with people about their problems and helping them find their solutions. I like being able to create a space to help people think about their problems in a deeper way than they might otherwise do in their day-to-day.
Sometimes journalling is enough for this. Sometimes it’s going for a walk; or a swim.
But sometimes it’s useful to have someone on the other side asking questions.
If you’d like to have some time with a thinking partner, let’s have a chat.