What inspires you to work?

[blas]

Oops I forgot...

If I wasn't at work, who would be the easy scapegoat to blame all the problems on, and who would everyone point the finger at? Who would be the figure of ridicule and the example of "prime mental retardation"?

Swear to God one of these nights heads are going to roll at the factory. Or I'm going to lose my temper and some wicked women are going to shit their pants out of pure fear.

I am so tempted to go MystyGlytr style on everyone at work who makes it difficult to just make it through the night.

If it wasn't for the pay and the benefits and my supervisor always standing up for me, I'd quit. But not after I bitch slapped all of the bitches.

[TNT]

I've been thinking... and as a former good friend once said, "When I write something that starts with 'I've been thinking,' it's time to run."

Anyway... when I started, I was a day to day temp who thought working at the cable company was better than my alternatives. I've since grown considerably more attached to the company... attached to the point where I'm thinking about making a career out of it. It's become more than just how I earn my paycheck...

1. First and foremost, I like the cable business. It may sound silly, but I can't think of a business I'd rather be in. I was interested in it before I started there, and it's only become more interesting. I'm sincere about it to the point that I'm willing to bet real dollars on it: 17.5% of my gross pay (when you include the 401k match and the ESPP discount) ultimately winds up in company stock.

2. The cable business seems to like me. I started as a temp a year and a half ago, and I'll soon be starting my fourth job there. Rarely has a month gone by that I haven't gotten at least a mini-promotion (training in a new area, etc.). That's important... maybe it's the bipolar in me, but I do best when I have the sense that I'm moving forward... something that's happened way too seldom in other jobs.

3. Growth and flexibility. Our local office is growing both in number of people and the departments that are located here. We were originally slated to be just a satellite call center to the region's main call center. That's changed in the last year and we're now pretty much regional headquarters. I started out on one career path, and decided it wasn't the right choice... but it's okay because I was able to transfer to something that seems more in keeping with my current goals.

4. Money. It's not great, but it's enough.

5. Benefits. Health insurance that makes doctors drool, plus a lot of other stuff.

6. Free cable and internet. Not just free, but guilt-free. I like having pretty much everything we offer and I could probably afford it if I was working somewhere else. But, I'd have to justify the expense... is all this really worth it or could my money be better spent on other things?

7. I live within walking distance of where I work.

8. I don't live very far away from corporate headquarters. I may never make it to the main office, but if I do, I could theoretically commute. I don't think I'd like it, but I know people who do it.

[ArenaBoy]

I work because I have books and tuition to pay for and I have to eat and all that. Work does give me something to do and it helps me think about where things are going in my life.

[protege]

I work...because I have mortgage payments and kitty food to buy.

The other reason, is that I decided that I would *not* struggle like my parents did. After my father's ad agency failed, he did odd jobs for awhile, before getting unemployed in '93. With 3 kids at home, cash was always tight. There was never enough it seemed. We were never hungry, but it was usually cold due to a crap furnace, and occasionally, not being able to pay bills. Trust me, being poor sucks, folks. After living through that once, I do *NOT* want to do it again. Things turned around though, but they still struggle....mainly because of the deferred maintenance on the house, and because their credit rating is still sucky.

[MystyGlyttyr]

Because I get bored fighting with the same people at home all the time.

Honestly, because it gets me out of the house in a semi-respectable way. I get bored and need something to do. If I didn't have family to concern myself with, I would be perfectly content to be a street person eating out of dumpsters (I've done it, it's not too bad at all) and sleeping under some bushes somewhere, walking wherever the urge strikes me, riding in empty train cars, etc. I don't personally feel all that motivated for much aside from keeping my mom from having to talk about her daughter, the bag lady.

Aside from that, earning money to save for wrestling school. Then I can fulfill my destiny.

[Kitten in the box]

Going in to get my paycheck inspires me to work. I LOVE Thursdays.
Also If I get into an arguement with my family I can't wait to get back to work to get away from all the damned drama going on

[Gurndigarn]

I think paycheks are going to be the primary motivation for everyone. Beyond that, though, the question is "why did we pick one job over another one (aside from it being the only thing we could find)?"