“'Work' should be about yourself: The myth of work-life balance

"In order to have a healthy relationship with work, you have to be clear on its purpose, and that purpose should be something that motivates you. It should be toward a goal you’ve chosen to pursue, in service of your own happiness....
    “'Work' should be about yourself. It should be associated with your dreams, the life you want to create for yourself, and the things that you love and desire. If done right, this kind of work should lead to feelings of success and achievement, of pride in your accomplishments, and of tremendous optimism and a sense of opportunity about what the future holds for you.
    "Of course, work always requires effort. To quote an old Spanish proverb, in life you have to “take what you want and pay for it.” If you want the good life, there is no easy path. You have to work, and work a lot. But hard work is only “hard” in the sense that it takes a lot of effort to achieve meaningful goals. When it’s being done for the right reasons, work doesn’t feel like a chore. It’s incredibly enjoyable and fulfilling when it’s in service of the right values—your values. "

          ~ Thomas Walker, from his post 'How to Make Work Something You Love'

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