Most of us carry a quiet assumption that work is supposed to be a struggle. We didn’t choose that idea. It was handed to us, built into the language we speak and the culture we grew up in.

Shabbar and Tim kick off a mini-series on work by tracing just how deep this assumption goes. From the French word “travail” rooted in medieval torture, to the idea of being “compensated” for labour, the very words we use tell us that work is something to endure.

Religious frameworks, Catholic and Protestant alike, baked in the same story. They also look honestly at people who earn good money and still dread every working day, and ask why so few of them feel they can admit it.

This is not a conversation for people who have it easy. It is for anyone who has ever wondered why work feels the way it does, and where that feeling actually came from.

Key themes:

• Why the language of work, compensation, labour, earning a living, quietly signals that it is supposed to be painful
• How Christian religious frameworks built a culture where enjoying your work still feels a bit suspect
• Why well-paid people can suffer just as deeply as anyone, and often feel worse for saying so
• What it costs to keep assuming work must be a struggle, even when you could think differently
• Where your own assumptions about work came from, and whether they are actually yours

Enjoyed this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, or your own stories about money.

Reach out and connect with us on LinkedIn:

Shabbar: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/shabbarkassam

Tim: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/timmalnick

Explore Tim’s work and register for his upcoming workshop: https://timothymalnick.com/

Find out more about Shabbar’s financial planning services: https://lumosfinancial.com/