There is no right answer.  It is simply a way of looking at your life and determining how you want to make the choices and decisions to reach your goals and dreams.  People who “live to work” tend to make choices around achievement in their careers and professional goals. They are often viewed as “workaholics”.   This may include the amount of money they want to make, but not necessarily.  It can be high career goals, such as corporate executive level positions or entrepreneurs with big dreams for their ideas.  Typically, people will find the career opportunity or job and relocate, building their lives around their careers.  However this can also have negative connotations, as in the idea that all you do is live every day to work in a job you may not like.  You get up in the morning, do the same routine at the same job without much excitement or change and then come home to do it again tomorrow and the next day and so on.  But what if you love your career or job and just want to do more of it every day?  Isn’t that an ideal situation?  To get paid well for what you love to do?  You can still be labeled a “workaholic” in this situation, too.

On the other hand, people who “work to live” tend to view their work, jobs or profession as a way to earn the money and benefits they need and want to support more of what they want to do in their personal lives.  They tend to choose a career or job that can support their chosen lifestyle where they want to live and what they prefer to do personally.  The goals of these individuals may include more travel, more time with family, more time to enjoy the hobbies they are passionate about day to day.  People who live this lifestyle may not identify who they are quite as much with their job or career.  If you ask them what they do, they will say I’m a photographer, artist, snowboarder or a bicycling enthusiast whether they are paid for doing this as a side job or it is pure hobby.  Typically their goal is to do more of what they are passionately pursuing in their personal lives and to have a job that gives them more time to do this.  And some do succeed at getting paid well for their talents or receive company sponsorships which turn this lifestyle into their careers.

What do you want to create more of in your life?  As you consider different career paths and ways of advancing and/or changing your own profession, job or direction, it is important to consider your view on this topic and review your personal expectations.  And keep in mind that as your life changes, some areas become more important and you may describe your life very differently in that next stage of life.

Schedule an appointment to do some “Career Design and Exploration” to pursue your options and what is really important to you.  Sheila@TransitionsCoachingServices.com.