Dreams That Survive The Workforce
What would you work on if you don't have to work for money is one of those questions that usually makes people pause and ponder before coming with a reply.
I don't think many people are quite attached to what they do for work to earn a living, but when this is what they've done for a long while and have settled on the idea that this is just how life works, then anything beyond that is uncharted territory one would rather not explore because 1) it feels too risky to imagine alternatives and 2) the dreams seem impossibly distant from current reality.
There was this woman in her early thirties who got asked the same question above in a documentary I was watching about career transitions and life purpose.
She answered almost immediately without any pondering that she'll build a homestead. Because this is what she has wanted to do before joining the workforce and is actually saving up money for the same specific purpose.
Somehow, I just had to nod my head with respect for her unwavering clarity and applaud her with genuine admiration.
The corporate world is a place where most dreams go to die. However, hers is alive and probably thriving despite years in the system.
Why We Default To Art
The surprising part which I was kind of taken aback with her answer is I thought she'd drop a typical creative answer that's mostly about creative pursuits such as painting, writing, or music.
Why did I think that, by the way?
Well, I've observed that most people default to artistic pursuits when fantasizing about escaping their day jobs, as if creativity is the only legitimate alternative to corporate life.
In some ways, creativity in general can also be a vague escape route for people to not dive deeper into what they actually want to build or create in the world.
As a lowest hanging fruit of an answer without giving it a second thought, I'd probably say something along the lines of creating art all day if I'm asked such a question.
Of course, in a modern context, this is quite unrealistic. I'm sure the muse wouldn't be with me every day, but the subtle truth is creating art every day doesn't necessarily mean doing art every day.
What Makes Dreams Survive
While many of us reach for vague creative escapes when asked about our ideal work-free life, she had something more concrete and actionable.
To me, this reveals something important about authentic dreams versus culturally programmed ones, as the latter has gotten so disconnected from practical reality that they become fantasy rather than possibility.
The homestead represents complete self-sufficiency and practical creativity; growing food, building structures, living seasonally. Which means daily commitment regardless of inspiration, much like any meaningful creative practice.
My reflexive "art all day" answer, by contrast, offers no clear path forward and can't really fail because it's too vague to evaluate. But it also can't really succeed for the same reason!
Giving it a second thought, I'd say what I will do is live at the country side and explore nature while also figuring out what my life's work is and taking action towards fulfilling that.
At least, this one is less vague but nevertheless, I think the woman understood something I'm still learning: the art of building a life so aligned with your values that the work itself becomes the reward, whether your medium is soil and seasons or paint and canvas.
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.