I was asked what were the three things that really matter to me about my work recently. These were my on-the-spot responses:
- Making a difference, making a contribution, changing something for the better.
- Learning new things, and putting what I have learnt to use.
- Doing interesting work, meeting interesting people, participating in interesting projects.
The person who asked the question was surprised that money did not make it on the list. After some discussion, my response was:
Money is not unimportant. Neither is it the main thing. I expect to be paid for the work I do - that is how a client shows their appreciation for me and my contributions. So money is, for me, much more of a sign of being valued and respected than a reason to do the work.
What are your three most important things about work?
