What is a job to you?

I'd say it can be both. I'm older and was laid off a couple of times in my '50's so feel it's just a means to an end, however if I were 40 years younger I'd still go for something good.

It’s a lot of things!

A way to financially support my family of five. A way to contribute to the local community. A way to contribute to society. A way to exhibit competence in a particular field. A way to use my hands and my head.

Try to balance your interests/abilities with compensation and work/life balance.

A job is something you do for money. You may or may not enjoy it. A career is something that you do for money but you anticipate that it leads to a better future (income, more responsibility, promotion etc). You usually have to put in extra time (often unpaid) to make a difference and you care about the organization's results.

Honestly at this point I think this has more to do with how scummy and shortsighted the companies in your industry are than your personal outlook. Corporate manufacturing and engineering certainly beat the desire to be a good engineer out of me. Just collecting a paycheck now.

It’s just a means of slicing cucumbers.

It’s best to treat even positions that are meaningful to you as just a way to earn money. A meaningful job will be one you’re motivated to go back to each day, but mentally reminding yourself that it’s just a job will motivate you to leave it at the end of each day. If you’re thinking too much about the job on your off time or worse, letting your “passion” job literally eat into your off time (staying late, working every weekend, etc) then it will not remain a passion for long.

Good thing the mods cleaned up this thread. Some posters have no life and their 'job' is making useless comments on LR.

IMO - your job, career, occupation, whatever we want to call it, is one of the most important decisions or series of decisions you will ever make in life. It's right up there w/who you marry if you choose to get married. Clock-watchers and people who despise their jobs and only work for the $ and the weekend are generally unhappy human beings. Actually wanting to go to work and enjoying what you do can make life pretty easy.

Find a full time role you don't hate going to every day. If you're in a job you don't like, where by the conclusion of your weekend you dread the start of the workweek, keep looking to move over/up/elsewhere every few months or years.

You will probably have several jobs or even careers before you find one that pays you well and you're comfortable with. The odds of finding a job or career you love or enjoy long-term aren't great. Though it's possible, don't count on getting lucky or manifesting a "dream job". Aim for finding a job or career that pays you well and you don't hate going to every morning.

Do my job, get paid, go home.

You get paid every day at the end of your day?

Millions of people get up every morning and head into work, Id say the vast majority are in blue collar, physically demanding work. I doubt any of them think its great, and are only doing it to keep their heads above water. They would quit in a minute of they could find something easier or that paid better.

Its different for the white collar crowd. Some are lucky that they actually enjoy their job, workmates and salary. Others make a decent living and will keep plugging away, but dont like what they do. Theres such a broad spectrum of like/dislike, good/bad its very subjective.

Me, I make a decent living, but will quit when Ive done my time, just another worn out cog in the machine.