"I'm here to get paid" may reduce your value and limit your future.

We are all "here to get paid" but you are shortchanging yourself if that is the end of your thought pattern.  This is especially true for those in the knowledge industry.  None of us would "work here for free" but knowledge work isn't static. It evolves over time and provides a growth path for more money and stimulation.
There are times when you have the opportunity to move to the next level in your skills and the respect of others. Exploit those opportunities. Those skills and respect can lead to better work with more skills and more respect. More respect means a bigger social network.  Bigger social networks can lead to more interesting work and more money.  A high percentage of my work came from former co-workers.

Work is the thing that lets you support yourself and your loved ones and provide leverage for a better future. Extra investments at the right times can result in higher lifetime earnings, better opportunities, and more interesting work. Do you want to spend the rest of your life doing what you do today or do you want it to evolve to be more challenging and interesting?

Everyone is in a different place regarding how they treat work and work/life balance is important. I get that. Big efforts require extra time or commitment that everyone isn't comfortable with. Some will see this as the company extracting more value than they are paying for. You should see and exploit it as an investment in yourself.

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This article originally started with:

Comments people make

  • Jobs are "just work".
  • Work is a "mind-numbing effort".
  • Workgroups are "just people you work with". 
  • Projects are "confusing directions and goals".
  • Management exists to "sell up to their management.".  

and some

  • Projects are "death marches" where effort is confused with progress.
  • Workplaces are "continuous pressure cookers".
when we should think
  • There is a chance here to feel good about what I do
  • There is a chance here to contribute 
  • This is an opportunity to learn something to take up to my next job
  • Pushing myself here prepares me for a role where I have more influence and can make more money.

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Created 2023 03

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