”ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT MY JOB,” said Hillary Swank who acted in such films as Million Dollar Baby, Freedom Writers, Amelia, and Boys Don’t Cry, “is that I get to do a lot of these things that I may not experience, had I not been an actor.” Indeed, living through a whole cast of characters is the biggest perk an actor can possibly have.
ASIDE OF THE FIXED OR VARIABLE INCOME THAT A JOB GENERATES together with medical, pension and social security benefits, what is generally overlooked are the other unique advantages that every job carries with it. When incomes stagnate and things do not appear right, it would do us a lot of good to introspect on the lasting intangibles underlying each job, however mundane it may be.
A JUDGE FOR INSTANCE, DESPITE HIS EXPERT KNOWLEDGE of the law, is enlightened virtually every day by several arguments and facets of each case that he presides over. Aspects of the law which never occurred to him would be highlighted by counsels on both sides which eventually assist him in formulating a final view on the matter on hand. There have been several instances where judges have publicly acknowledged the contributions of counsels in the judgments they have delivered. For surgeons who operate on patients every day, each Ceaserian or a coronary brings its own lessons. Equity analysts by virtue of their position delve deep into select industries and gain insights that would be the envy of planners and economists. A postmaster in a remote village in India could well be the friend, philosopher and guide to the village folk served by the post office. Salesmen probably know more about human psychology than Sigmund Freud or Martin Seligman besides gaining unique knowledge of sales territories. A taxi driver in Mumbai once told me that he learnt a lot about life just listening to the conversations of passengers seated behind him while taking them to various destinations. One could multiply examples.
THE JOBS WE DO SOON BECOME EXTENSIONS OF OUR own personalities. Every job offers challenges, opportunities, learning. These are the real perks. If we take advantage of these, we become not only better persons but also give ourselves the opportunity to improve our own stations in life.
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