"I have a problem: I don't want to work. Ever again."
I do not want to 'grind'. I do not want a 'side hustle'. I want to roll around in a field and never have to send an email ever again.
Wait, But What? is our weekly advice column for paid supporters. If you’ve got a burning life question (whether it’s how to phoenix out of a dark spot or how to stand up to a boss who thinks you're just in the room to grab a flat white), drop your question here, and we might just answer it!
Bel, I present you my 'issue'. I DO NOT WANT TO WORK. I seriously cannot think of any job that will bring me joy. I dread it every single day. I have the strongest yearning to travel, explore, roll in a field, but I can’t even afford to go out for a single evening right now. I’m not ashamed to admit I do not have a 'grind' mindset. I want to work towards finding myself and living a fulfilled life, but how can I do this in a world where the cost of living is painfully high and the reward so low?
Dear anti-grind,
You are not alone.
Welcome to work.
Welcome to the rest of your life.
Don’t get mad at yourself for hating it.
On top of that, I do not know one single person who’s not struggling with the cost of being alive, the current global moral atrocities, and the seeming impossibility of ‘getting ahead’ whatever that’s supposed to mean.
I do, however, know a thing or two about work and here’s what I think you should, too: