Have you ever stopped and asked yourself if you’re living to work or working to live? It’s a question that surprisingly few people ever take the time to consider, yet it fundamentally shapes how we spend the most precious resource we have – our time.
I was reading this eye-opening article by Financial Samurai called “Live-To-Work Is Back And It Could Cost You A Great Fortune” and it really got me thinking about where I stand.
Straight up, I consider myself a “work to live” individual. Ain’t no way I’m out here breaking my back for somebody else’s dream, you feel me? I understand the importance of making enough money to eventually become financially independent and gain the freedom to do what I want with my life. What blows my mind is how so many people seem to be caught up in this “live to work” mentality.
The Corporate Game
Let me break it down for you – a “live to work” person puts their job and career above everything else. Their identity becomes wrapped up in their professional title, and their self-worth is measured by their workplace achievements.
Look, I could never see myself putting a job where I’m building someone else’s empire above my own interests, self-worth, identity, and leisure time. That’s why I often tell folks I give whatever the minimal effective effort is to a job.
You wanna know the cold truth? I know for a FACT that I’m replaceable. Even if I give 110%, it’ll be that ONE little mistake that’ll get me shown the door. Or check this – I could be an A+ employee crushing every target, but if the company needs to downsize, that A+ status means absolutely nothing.
The Loyalty Myth
A company’s loyalty is with their bottom line. Period. The main objective is to turn a profit, not to take care of you. They will NEVER be loyal to me, so in turn, I’ve learned never to be loyal to them. And I don’t take things personally – it’s just business.
That’s exactly why I’ve developed multiple income streams. I can walk away from my job today and not blink an eye, and I feel that is absolutely critical in today’s volatile job market.
Starting From Zero
With all that said, you gotta start somewhere. If you’re fresh out of college or just completed trade school, you need to establish a career to build that financial cushion. This is where the financial independence journey begins.
The technical approach is straightforward: First, focus on eliminating high-interest debt. Second, build an emergency fund covering 3-6 months of expenses. Third, maximize retirement contributions to take advantage of compound interest. Fourth, develop additional income streams through side hustles, investments, or business ventures.
Once you’ve reached a certain level of financial stability, you have to ask yourself that important question: “Will I continue to grind away at my career, or will I put my own interests first and live by my own terms?”
The Remote Work Revolution
As Financial Samurai pointed out in his article, “One of the best things to come out of the pandemic was widespread remote work. Beyond eliminating commutes and unnecessary face time, it also allowed people to save on housing costs by moving farther from city centers.”
But yo, now it seems like this remote work wave is crashing. Companies are demanding employees drag themselves back to those cubicles. And that right there is a perfect example of how corporations prioritize control over employee well-being.
The Freedom Mindset
Let me be real with you – you don’t want to wake up at 65 regretting that you spent your entire life building someone else’s dream. The “work to live” philosophy isn’t about being lazy; it’s about being strategic with your time and energy.
It’s about understanding that your job is a means to an end – financial security and personal freedom – not your entire identity or purpose.
So ask yourself today: Are you living to work, or working to live? And whatever your answer is, make sure it’s a conscious choice, not something you’ve fallen into because you never stopped to consider the alternative.
Because at the end of the day, you only get one life. And nobody ever laid on their deathbed wishing they’d spent more time at the office.
What’s your take? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
