My parents emphasized education because for many immigrants, education is the way to level up in your life.
That said, there wasn’t anything wrong with being a janitor. A janitor may not be paid a lot but janitors are very important because they keep places clean. They work hard, get paid, and when they go home they no longer worry about their work.
The same can’t be said in a corporate job. You may put in 9-10 hour days but sometimes you have to answer emails on the weekend. Or go into work on Sunday. Or go on work trips. You may be paid more but it might not be that much more on an hourly basis!
The janitor doesn’t have a care in the world on Saturdays and Sundays – they’re living their life.
Which is to say this short piece by Paul Jarvis should hit home to those who tie too much of their identity with their your job:
Do what you love [Paul Jarvis] – “I’ve never understood why so many people are so concerned with only doing a job that makes them happy – as if anything else wasn’t worth doing.” This article will take you only a couple minutes to read but you’ll think about it for a while.
That first one was so brief, we need the next two to really cement the message:
Chasing Your Dreams is Probably a Bad Idea [Clipping Chains] – “When it comes to jobs and careers, parents the world over tell their children more-or-less the same message: you can do anything you want in life. Follow your dreams, and the rest will work out in the end. Of course, those same parents leave early each morning to go to a job that — as statistics show — they probably don’t love.”
Face It, We Are All Expendable: Financial Viability Countermeasures That Matter [Leisure Freak] – “It seems unthinkable today. Having your life and chosen future plans made expendable solely on gender and date of birth. As a young teenager I was fully aware what hitting age 18 meant. My poor working class keister could get a draft notification for the jungles of Vietnam.” Speaking of identifying too much with your job, this one reminds us why financial independence is important because of how expendable we are.
Ever wonder why so many companies are “located” in Delaware? Specifically, 1209 Orange Street. Wilmington, DE is home to 285,000 companies! Watch this video.
Bet there isn’t a place in the world that makes as much money per square foot!
If you have a second, please tell a friend to tell a friend about Apex Money!