Is the time you sell to your employer time well spent? If it puts food on the table, shelter over your head, and clothes on your children, then it is. But could it be, and should it be, spent very differently?

Most companies have mission statements; the majority of those look inward and inspire little. We may not be able to change that, but we can ensure that’s not true for our own lives. We’ve all heard that no one ever on their death bed said they wished they had worked more, but perhaps that because they were doing meaningless work.

If you have a pit in your stomach when going to work, it’s past time to change jobs. Perhaps change industries or careers. Do you feel Groundhog Day on each trip? Is that what you want to remember?

If your intent is to make enough money to support your family comfortably and spend as much time as possible with your family, you don’t have to accept a miserable role in a miserable organization. Concentrate instead on how that job with that company contributes to your life and that of others you care about positively. Or better yet, move to a role where you can learn and grow and have fun while being a part of something bigger than yourself. Those positions exist and they do not preclude providing a comfortable level of financial support and significant support for the whole person that is you — the person who attends sporting events and spelling bees.

Your job matters. If you believe it doesn’t, find a different one. Do that until you have a means of support that builds your skills, brings you joy, and makes you proud of how the world is better because of what you do.

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