While a weekend always comes to an end, my thoughts never do.
And this weekend’s big deep thinking question was:
Should we keep doing the things we don’t like just to reap its future benefits?
Before you read any further, do give it a moments thought.
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I am no Aristotle or Nietzsche who can provide insightful philosophical takeaways, I only write what comes to my mind and these weekend posts are results of just that.
So, for this question, I asked my 5004 days old cousin of mine and he told me,
“We should not do the work that benefits us but rather should engross ourselves in the work that benefits future generations, no matter how boring the task it is!!”
I bet you didn’t think of the answer in a similar fashion but nevertheless, what a thoughtful insight from a 13-year-old!
Because, this answer was from a completely different angle, it got me thinking that this question can be approached and interpreted in multiple ways and it would all differ depending upon what stage of life you are in and what is your present state of emotion.
Here’s how I approached it in the first place.
I think it depends from situation to situation. There are certain tasks no matter how boring or daunting, which mustn’t be avoided. These tasks are like a double-edged sword for if done, can provide benefits in future and if ignored can be detrimental to our lives. Think exercise or eating healthy for that matter. If done right, they provide us with a host of rewards and if not, you know the consequence.
But then there are certain other boring tasks that must be given some serious thoughtful consideration before leaving them or sticking with them altogether. For example, you work. Sometimes you don’t enjoy the work you do and feel like giving up that job you have in search of something more fun and meaningful.
In such a case you should evaluate the situation in light of the following three questions:
- Is your boredom towards your work a temporary state of emotion or is it a prolonged one?
If the latter is the answer you need some serious thinking to do buddy!
- Can the future benefits be obtained in some other manner?
If yes, then go for it!
- Does your present state allow you to forego the future benefits? In other words, can you sustain a living for yourself for the next year or so?
If yes, then go for it!
But like I said this is just my approach of answering the question. Here’s my sister’s take on the same which is completely opposite of mine.
According to her,
Yes, we must keep doing boring work in order to reap future benefits.
She believes so because in her opinion seeing the bigger picture is much more important than the temporary state of satisfaction or dissatisfaction we experience. Furthermore, she thinks good things don’t come easy. They are slogged for by doing both boring and daunting work. Nothing’s a cakewalk in life. Therefore, if you happen to decide on a course of action keep doing it until it’s done, as the saying goes,
“Winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win”
How would you answer the question?
Let me know in the comments section.
Sal's Blog 