High Status. No Pay!
By p1kef1sh
@p1kef1sh (45681)
October 28, 2011 2:54pm CST
For all of my career I slogged away slowly climbing the corporate ladder and did quite well. I managed a world-wide team, was head of my profession and was fortunate enough to not be entirely disliked (at least to my face) by my colleagues. All that ended in 2007 when I decided that I had had enough and that my health was worth more than status and salary. Today I have a part-time job administering some sheltered accommodation for the elderly and am able to indulge my passion for history by guiding visitors to one of England's historic cathedrals. Today I was made the Head Guide there. A role that will require me to be present for several days a week. I have 13 teams of guides totalling over 200 people. All, like me, keen to share the glories of the Cathedral with the 250,000 visitors that we will have met this year. I could probably expect a reasonable salary with such a post. Instead, I receive no pay at all. Nothing. Zilch. I do get a free cup of tea and a parking space. Otherwise I receive no financial recognition at all. I am not at all worried by this. For the first time I am working at something that I truly love. Am I mad?
7 people like this
20 responses
@stary1 (6612)
• United States
28 Oct 11
p1kef1sh I don't think you are mad at all. You probably have enough money to take care of yourself and a little more for extras and to help others. Once all that is covered, we all can be free to follow whatever makes us happy. No doubt you interact with many people every day and make their lives more pleasant. Good for you
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
28 Oct 11
No you are not mad. To be able to spend some time doing what you love is,IMO, worth more than mere moola.
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
29 Oct 11
There's an old saying--do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life! You are doing what you love and you'll live a longer, more fulfilling life because of it. There are a lot of things more important than money and if everyone would do as you have done and say the hell with stress and status we might have a happier world! I saw another reply that mentioned "genteel poverty"--nothing wrong with that, it's living according to your means with dignity and grace.
I'm so glad you and your staff have jobs that you love! And your other job is helping people that need it. You have a life that helps many people every day and money can't give rich returns like that! 
1 person likes this
@grandpa_lash (5225)
• Australia
29 Oct 11
I abandoned the rat race 35 years ago and consequently have an intimate knowledge of genteel poverty, but that didn't stop me running a series of three major folk festivals a few years back. Months of planning and chasing up things, a week of preparing sites, and three days of 20 hours constant work. I didn't even perform at any of them, which was a bit of a wrench, but I couldn't afford the time lol. And all for love.
I wouldn't want to have to do it more often than once a year though.
Lash
2 people like this
@pumpkinjam (8763)
• United Kingdom
28 Oct 11
Well, you probably are mad but not for those reasons. :P There is nothing wrong with doing something as a volunteer if you enjoy it. It doesn't make you mad and, if it's financially viable, it's a nice thing to do. I'm sure being highly paid must be nice (I wouldn't know!) but I know, if I had to choose between a highly paid, stressful job and an unpaid job which I enjoyed, I would happily turn down the salary.
1 person likes this
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
29 Oct 11
I do not think you are mad at all. At some point in all our careers we want to get out of the rat race and for a change we want to do what we like to do. Some of us get that chance, like you have yourself got it while some of us don't. I too have a decent career currently, but one of my long term ambitions is to go back to a school or a university as a professor or a teacher. I am not really worried about the compensation, it is just the joy of teaching that I want to explore.
Cheers!
Ram
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
29 Oct 11
Of course not. It is never mad to do something you really love and money is not everything. I will never be rich because I cannot toe the corporate line and rise the ranks. I was surprised that I achieved as much as I did considering that I have always been one of the outsiders.
I wish I had found a career that I love but no matter what I did I always ended up working in offices, which I hate. Now I am retired with just enough funds to keep me alive and have an occasional treat but I am happy as it suits me completely. i can do the things I love and not worry that they will never bring in any money. Life is meant to be fun after all.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
29 Oct 11
I don't think that I actively sought to be a guide. I just drifted into it and have found it hugely rewarding in every way save finacially. In fact it's cost me money in terms of books and courses. I'd still not want to do anything else other than..... Who knows?
2 people like this
@liquorice (3887)
•
29 Oct 11
This reminds me of a book I read called the "Why am I here cafe". http://www.iitm.com/why-here/why-are-here2.htm
I'd really recommend it, although it sounds pretty much as if you've already done what the book is about! But it would probably demonstrate to you that no, you're not mad. 
It's about finding out what you want from life (Purpose for Existing), and living your life to serve that purpose.
I think you did a very sensible thing, as long as you can survive without the money you were earning before. I have quite a similar story, (although I didn't manage a world-wide team and wasn't head of my profession!) Just had a good job, gave it up to have my daughter, and never went back. I'm now doing a mixture of voluntary work and very low-paid work, and enjoying it a lot more than any work I've done before.
It sounds as if you have a lot of responsibility and are doing really well at the cathedral. Sounds brilliant! And it's really good that you truly love it. I think everyone needs to make the most of their life, and do things that they enjoy doing. (Where possible).
It's about finding out what you want from life (Purpose for Existing), and living your life to serve that purpose.
I think you did a very sensible thing, as long as you can survive without the money you were earning before. I have quite a similar story, (although I didn't manage a world-wide team and wasn't head of my profession!) Just had a good job, gave it up to have my daughter, and never went back. I'm now doing a mixture of voluntary work and very low-paid work, and enjoying it a lot more than any work I've done before.
It sounds as if you have a lot of responsibility and are doing really well at the cathedral. Sounds brilliant! And it's really good that you truly love it. I think everyone needs to make the most of their life, and do things that they enjoy doing. (Where possible). @p1kef1sh (45681)
•
29 Oct 11
Doing what you want ot is a good feeling isn't it? I cannot imagine going back to the greasy pole now and am very happy to let others do so. Presimung that nobody likes to do that, how do companies allow themselbves to develop that type of culture? Beats me?
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
29 Oct 11
Agreed. The trouble is that employers feel that unless your nose is attached to the grindstone 7/8 hours a day ten you can't be efficient. I think that it is Innocent Smoothies that have demonstrated that you can have fun and still be competitive. Mind they might well still be brain washing. Just in a different way.
@liquorice (3887)
•
29 Oct 11
I would guess that it's all down to money. It's a shame that more companies don't have a more worker-friendly, flexible culture. I'm sure they think that doing so would affect their profits, but happier workers have more enthusiasm and probably get more work done for the time they are working.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
28 Oct 11
No not mad but content. You are doing something you are rather pleased in doing. Money, although nice and needed, it is not everything and if you can do this voluntarily without worrying about the financial aspect, I say go for it and do so proud.
1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
5 Nov 11
Dear P1kef1sh I am so glad you like guiding the visitors and you are Head Guide now. And you are not mad cause you enjoy being a Guide when you dont even make money with that.
Of course we all need money to pay rent and food, clothes and some insurances. But if I could afford to stop working at the office and do something more valuable with my time I would be happy too.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
6 Nov 11
yeeesssss only 10 years and a bit to go. I am very determined to stop working with 60 instead of 67 and to bridge the income gap in these 7 years with savings.
@nannacroc (4049)
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31 Oct 11
Not mad just fortunate enough to be able to do it. I know you love what you do and if you can pass that love on to others it's worth a lot. If it weren't for people like you our heritage could be lost.
Keep up the good work.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
28 Oct 11
You are ot mad. I could be doing all kinds of things, but I'm Not. I don't give a damn about status. The way I see it, freedom is expensive (no paycheck!) but I don't mind paying the price.
@GreenMoo (11834)
•
30 Oct 11
Yes, you're mad. But at least you've found something you love doing which is inside. I do my labours of love in the hammering rain, and I don't even get a cup of tea unless I make it myself.
Joking apart, I had a 'proper' job once upon a time. At the time I didn't think there was an alternative. I was broke because my mortgage and child care costs ate up all of my quite reasonable salary. Paying someone else to take care of my child whilst I worked seemed the sensible thing to do at the time.
Then I had my revelation.
Now I'm still broke. But now it's because I choose to be, which is an entirely different mental state. It would be nice to afford all the things I want (note want, not need!) but I've decided that being with my family and doing something which inspires me is far more important. Even if I have to make my own tea.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
29 Oct 11
I wish that it were a tax write-off. But then again I'd have to be paying tax to be written off against. My monthly income is so low that I think that I pay just under £20 ($30) per month tax. From next April I won't even have to pay that as they've raised the trigger point at which tax is payable. However, I do have to pay National Insurance which covers health and state pension (which I qualified for once I had done 34 years in taxable employment).
2 people like this
@globaldoc (858)
• Philippines
5 Nov 11
I think there is nobody who can be considered as mad as long as he is doing something that he loves. Many times, these things happen, and many other people do not understand them. I think our lives are mysterious enough to make us want to do something that may not bear any fruits for us in return. This is why it would be more ideal just to see if one is doing something he loves or not.
@harries (99)
• Philippines
3 Nov 11
Well, work is not all about salary. As long as you have something for yourself, you are contented with what you do and what you have then that is fine. You are not Mad my friend. I am pleased that you have found something that you are contented in. :)
