Do you work to live or live to work?

I ran into an old sales mentor that put so much about my career into perspective.


Wanted to see how the war room felt about the question here.


For so much of my career I was living to work and trying to become a C level. Then I moved to sales.


Now I feel like a hired gun and happy with that. I want to work to enjoy life with my family and don't really care how far up the ladder I go. Sales gets me enough money to live the life I want and frankly I'm happy with that now. Personally I'd rather spend money doing my hobbies and spending time with my family than working 12 hours to make big bucks in the VP/C-suite.


Curious what the rest of the war room feels like with this? How many here are trying to get things moving to get into a C-level spot, or how many are happy sharpening their skills to be better at sales and let the pieces fall where they may?

Do you:

Attached poll
*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.
๐ŸŽˆ Mentorship
๐Ÿ™ Mental Wellness
26
CuriousFox
WR Officer
19
๐ŸฆŠ
Working to pay another month of my life alert subscription. ๐Ÿšจ
bonez
Politicker
3
Account Executive
You'd think the costs would go down over time but they just don't. Rat bastards know I hit the button just to talk to someone and then charge me for it.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
10
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
Was never interested in climbing ladders. I'm very happy being an IC, and leveraging what I earn to do things I like to do!
bonez
Politicker
1
Account Executive
I used to be a ladder climber in my marketing days but now I realize how pointless that feels. I'm so happy being an IC and kinda doing my own thing as long as I'm making what I need to give my family the life we want. Love this perspective.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
6
Sales Rep
I wouldn't do it for free, so feel like it has to be Work to Live
bonez
Politicker
3
Account Executive
I feel that - this job at it's core kinda sucks so the large paychecks help. It's just nice it can provide a nice life without having to become a company person.
UserNotFound
Politicker
5
Account Executive
In August of this year I was at a happy hour where someone in leadership at my company told me that I need to find a way to sever the tie between personal me and professional me because I wrap my entire self into my performance. Bad month at work? My anxiety tells me I must also be a bad mom, partner, child, etc. I donโ€™t struggle the other way around.

Ever since then Iโ€™ve been working on โ€œfindingโ€ myself outside of my roles as sales-Queen, mom, & wife. Itโ€™s oddly been a really difficult journey because I donโ€™t even know what I like/dislike when i take other ppl out of the equation.
bonez
Politicker
3
Account Executive
Love this and I felt like this was me when I first got into sales. Honestly therapy helps figuring this out and made me realize I am not my job and this is another tool to live the life I want. At the end of the day I'm much happier talking about my hobbies than my job and I'm finally ok with that. You're more than your number and your life is bigger than being in sales.
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
5
Officer of โ™ฅ๏ธ
lork to wive all day
Sunbunny31
Politicker
3
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
Since dolphin noises weren't available on this poll, amirite?
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
3
Officer of โ™ฅ๏ธ
ah yes. a cultured war room member.
bonez
Politicker
1
Account Executive
This is the true answer tbh
TennisandSales
Politicker
3
Head Of Sales
FOR SURE work to live. I have worked SUPER hard to have a career that can support the lifestyle I want. and ive also been intentional on not making work my entire life.
bonez
Politicker
2
Account Executive
I'm working on being more intentional with this as well now. Learning when I can disconnect and when I need to be fully in it. NO sense in burning out for a company that might throw me to the wayside one day.
TennisandSales
Politicker
1
Head Of Sales
for sure! its a little easier when you have a family, and can gauge how much time you are spending with them vs at work. if I was single it would be really hard to know when to turn work off haha
bonez
Politicker
1
Account Executive
SERIOUSLY! The family 100% helps keep things in check from a time management perspective. Single people that have healthy work boundaries are superheroes.
Pachacuti
Politicker
3
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
My vocation pays for my avocations.
bonez
Politicker
0
Account Executive
My man
Diablo
Politicker
2
Sr. AE
I love to keep balance of everything - professional life, personal life, social life etc. I like doing what I am doing as I can do all the above as well.
Jaed
Executive
2
Inside Sales Rep
You know, Iโ€™ve made the same realization. Iโ€™d rather work to live and have hobbies, time with friends & family, and maybe start a side-hustle turned small business.

I used to live to work. Then, I got bitter because I wasnโ€™t getting anywhere and started freelancing to launch a small business. But thatโ€™s harder than it looks!

I realized that I need the work to live mentality for stability towards financial freedom. When that happens, the financial freedom will give me the opportunity to โ€œclimb the ladderโ€ with investments, savings, the title of entrepreneur, etc.
FinanceEngineer
Politicker
2
Sr Director, sales and partnerships
You gotta live the business. When you have a family, that allows you to take your foot off of the gas and not take a hit on income.
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
1
Bravado's Resident Asshole
I work to enjoy life.
bonez
Politicker
0
Account Executive
I feel like Iโ€™m finally here with ya.
countingmyinterest
Politicker
1
Account Executive
I live to work - I like to work a lot. But it doesn't have to be at my normal day job.

I like my investments/side hustle and love to work on those. My sales job provides me enough $ to tide me over and pursue that. Ultimately my investments still make me money.
DC540
Opinionated
1
Sales Development Manager
I also insisted on climbing the ladder until jumping off became a better option for my wants/needs. Itโ€™s ok to change your mind on what you want from life.

Now, I just wanna make a shit ton of money with no responsibility over other people aside from my kid.
Nairobi
Politicker
1
AE
Ah easy, Work to Live! Life would be miserable if you live to work. We have one life, please enjoy it instead of killing yourself for a job that doesn't care about you
justatopproducer
Politicker
0
VP OF SALES -US
Used to be the live to work. Top 2 in sales in my company 6/7 years straight. Moved up to bigger things, # 1 for 3 years, moved up as far as I could and moved on, then was top 1% at the next F500 company. Moved on to be Vp of sales over the US and started working 17-18 hour days, 7 days a week. Killed myself and when it came time to be promoted they held my commission and gave the title to the acting cfo and co-founder. From that point on I knew no matter how hard I worked it all came down to who I knew. If I ever feel like working my life away again like that I will just start my own company. Doing anything yourself for 17-18 hours a day everyday will eventually result in you making millions for yourself. Just remember that if you ever have that choice. Do I want to lull myself for someone else to make millions while I make $200k or make millions for myself.
ChunkyButters
Tycoon
0
AE
I spend way too much money on my personal life not to go to work
Palladium_Rog
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
As much as I don't see myself without work, I will set clear boundaries when work becomes too much. Love chasing the dollar but there has to be "me" time in it.
TechSalesTom
Member
0
Creator
Definitely work to live, I got into tech sales specifically to maximize my income and cut down on working years. Double or triple up on jobs if you need to, life is short!
9

Would you work here?

Question
11
10

Live trainings/workshop.. preference?

Question
23
When would you attend external sales trainings/webinars
31% Wednesday between 9 - 11 am
23% Thursday between 10 am - 12 pm
20% Never. I'm perfect and need no training or tips.
26% Friday between 9 - 11 am
106 people voted
18
Members only

After work

Question
23
after work
33% Gym
37% Spend time with family
21% whiskey on the rocks
9% nap
161 people voted