Connecting Clouds

Do you want to do your best at whatever you do? Or do you want to find something that you enjoy doing?

“Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This quote has been recycled throughout history. It has been attributed to Confucius and Mark Twain, among others. Whoever said, I have to disagree. Work is work, and no matter how much you love your job, it’s still work. It requires effort, and you will be expected to produce some kind of result.

“There are people who would give everything to achieve their dreams. Although there are many more who can’t…While I might be happy chasing a dream, it seems like I have a better chance at happiness after abandoning it. I just want to enjoy living.”

“Being happy by doing something you enjoy…yes, that’s possible. I’m sure there’re such people out there. At the same time, there’re also people who are happy when doing something they’re good at.”

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum

I just finished reading Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum. One of the main themes is work. As this is a book that was written in Korean (I read the English translation), it is from a Korean perspective, but I think many of the views are universal. The main character quits her corporate job to open a bookshop. Another character takes an easier job within the company he works for, and starts writing a blog. Various characters give advice to the teenage character who is struggling to figure what kind of work he wants to do. The theme of work is one I have noticed in a lot of recent Korean literature and music. For example, in “병 (Dis-ease)” by BTS, they explore idea of work being an illness (disease) or something uncomfortable (dis-ease or unease). The Korean title, 병 (byeong), can be translated as illness or bottle. This could allude to the idea that work can be an illness or an addiction.

According Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, cultures with high Motivation towards Achievement and Success (also known as Masculine cultures) believe in doing your best in whatever you do. On the other hand, cultures with low Motivation towards Achievement and Success (also known as Feminine cultures) are more likely to believe in finding something that you enjoy doing. South Korea is fairly low on this scale. Some countries that are about the same as Korea are Peru, Mozambique, and Nepal. Countries that are very low on this scale are northern European countries, such as Sweden, Iceland, and Netherlands. Japan is exceptionally high on this scale.

Even though my country, Canada, is slightly higher than the middle of this scale, I would say I’m very low on this scale. I would much rather do something I enjoy even if I’m not good at it. On the other hand, it eventually takes a toll on my mental health if I have to do something that I’m relatively good at, but don’t enjoy doing at all.

What is more important — excelling in life or enjoying it? Every culture and individual has a varying proportions of both, but which is more important in your culture, and to you as a person?