What Doesn’t Seem Like Work?

Paul Graham’s essay What Doesn’t Seem Like Work? explores how to identify work that suits you by examining what doesn’t feel burdensome.

The Core Heuristic

“If something that seems like work to other people doesn’t seem like work to you, that’s something you’re well suited for.”

Activities that seem laborious to others but feel natural to you reveal your genuine aptitude.

Examples

Graham’s father: A mathematician who discovered his passion around age 12. He actually enjoyed solving textbook problems—viewing them as rewards rather than obligations.

Programming: Many programmers actually enjoy debugging despite its tedious reputation. This unusual preference indicates suitability for programming overall.

Writing papers: During college, Graham discovered he enjoyed writing papers for classes he didn’t attend—a task that caused his friends distress.

The Insight

The realization that identical work could feel burdensome to some and pleasant to others suggests deeper insights about career alignment.

My Takeaway

Examine your unusual preferences as clues. The stranger your tastes appear to others, the stronger the evidence they point toward your ideal professional path.

What doesn’t feel like work to you? I’d love to hear at persdre@gmail.com.