# Discovering Ideal Job Beyond Salary

Daily writing prompt
If the salary was the same, what job would you be doing right now and why?

Hello dear friends,

I hope this Blog finds you in a cheerful mood.

Today’s writing prompt question is very interesting:

“If the salary was the same, what job would you be doing right now and why?”

At first glance, it sounds like a simple question. But when I thought about it, I realised that it is actually a question about our dreams, passions, priorities and the meaning we attach to work.

For most of us, choosing a career is strongly influenced by salary. We need money to support our families, pay our bills, educate our children and build a secure future. But what if money were no longer the deciding factor?

Would we still choose the same profession?

Imagine waking up tomorrow with one wonderful assurance: Whatever job you choose, your salary will remain exactly the same.

Suddenly, many of the usual questions disappear.

No more worrying about promotions, increments, bonuses or comparing your salary with someone else’s.

The question then becomes:

“What would I actually enjoy doing?”

That is when our heart begins to speak.

As the saying goes,

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Of course, this famous idea may sound a little idealistic. Every job has difficult days. But there is certainly truth in the thought that meaningful work makes life’s struggles easier to bear.

Having spent many years in banking, I know that a profession is much more than a monthly salary.

A job teaches us discipline, patience, responsibility and the importance of dealing with people. It gives us experiences that remain with us long after we leave the workplace.

If I were asked this question during my working years, I might have chosen something connected with writing, teaching or creativity.

Why?

Because I have always believed that knowledge becomes more valuable when it is shared.

Teaching gives us the opportunity to influence another person’s life. Writing allows us to express thoughts, preserve memories and perhaps touch the heart of someone we may never meet.

And creativity gives us something equally precious—the freedom to create something that did not exist before.

Today, my answer would probably be different.

If the salary were the same, I would choose a life centred around writing, painting, reading and teaching through my experiences.

I would love to spend my mornings writing, afternoons exploring art and evenings reading or interacting with people.

Perhaps I would call myself a writer-teacher-artist rather than giving myself a conventional job title!

The wonderful thing is that retirement has taught me something important: sometimes we don’t need to change our profession to discover our calling.

We can simply make more room for the things we love.

There is an important distinction between earning a living and living meaningfully.

A well-paying job can provide comfort, but it cannot automatically provide happiness.

We may earn a large salary and still return home exhausted and dissatisfied. On the other hand, someone doing meaningful work may earn less but feel deeply fulfilled.

As Steve Jobs famously said:

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Perhaps that is why some people continue working even when they no longer need the money. They are not working for the salary; they are working for the purpose.

This prompt is worth asking ourselves honestly.

If money were completely removed from the equation, what would we choose?

Would you become a teacher, writer, musician, artist, chef, gardener, photographer, social worker—or perhaps something completely unexpected?

And if you would still choose your present profession, that itself is a wonderful answer.

Because it means you have found something more valuable than money.

Ultimately, this prompt isn’t really asking us to change our jobs.

It is asking us to discover what we value most in life.

Salary pays the bills. But purpose gives us a reason to get out of bed.

Success may give us recognition. But meaningful work gives us satisfaction.

And money can buy many things, but it cannot buy the feeling of saying at the end of the day:

“I enjoyed what I did today.”

Perhaps the best career is not the one that makes us the richest, but the one that makes us feel that our time was well spent.

So, let me ask you the same question:

If the salary were exactly the same, what job would YOU be doing right now—and why?

BE HAPPY… BE ACTIVE… BE FOCUSED… BE ALIVE

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 www.retiredkalam.com



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24 replies

  1. What a beautifully reflective post! It speaks directly to the heart of what gives life true depth and purpose.

    ​If salary were no object, I would choose to be an Archivist of Human Stories traveling to quiet towns, sitting with people from all walks of life, and preserving their wisdom, memories, and unspoken life lessons.

    ​Like your blend of writing, art, and teaching, it’s a role driven purely by empathy, connection, and the joy of sharing knowledge.
    ​Thank you for such an inspiring read, Kalam! Keep sharing your wonderful light.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you so much for your beautiful and thoughtful words! 🙏❤️
      I absolutely love your idea of being an “Archivist of Human Stories.” What a meaningful calling—to travel, listen to people’s experiences, and preserve the wisdom hidden in ordinary lives. Every person carries a story worth remembering, and you’ve captured that beautifully.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. very nice .

    Liked by 2 people

  3. Such a lovely way to spend retirement years Vijay. I also worked as a uni banker in the oldest bank (established in 1851) in our country and I enjoyed it.😘

    Liked by 3 people

    • Thank you so much for your warm words! 😊
      It is wonderful to know that you also enjoyed your journey as a banker. There is something special about looking back at our working years with gratitude, especially when the profession gave us not only a livelihood but also valuable experiences and lifelong memories. Now retirement gives us the freedom to explore our passions and enjoy life at our own pace. Wishing you many more happy and fulfilling years ahead! 😘

      Liked by 2 people

  4. But the world tells us to find high paying job. Wonderful reflections, Verma

    Liked by 1 person

    • Absolutely true! 😊
      From an early age, we are often taught to chase the highest-paying job, while happiness, passion, and purpose sometimes take a back seat. Money is certainly important, but it should not be the only measure of a successful career.

      Liked by 2 people

  5. Beautifully reflective post and I wanted to think a little before responding. I think I’d like 2 part time jobs. One for exploring and writing. But the other would be doing exactly what i do now – teaching. My reasoning is thus:

    If we had a universal salary, worldwide we would have the opportunity not just to follow our dreams, but to reach our potential. However I work with too many students who have had their dreams shattered and don’t believe in themselves. As a teacher, I want to help them overcome their barriers and reach their potential

    Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I love the idea of having two part-time jobs—one that feeds your curiosity and creativity through exploring and writing, and another that allows you to continue doing what you clearly value: teaching. 😊

      Your point about a universal salary is particularly meaningful. If financial pressure were removed, people might have greater freedom to discover their talents and pursue their dreams. But your insight as a teacher goes even deeper—you recognize that opportunity alone is not enough when someone has lost confidence in themselves.

      Liked by 2 people

  6. Vermavkvさん、こんばんは。いつも有難う🙇‍♂️
    「もし給料が同じなら、今どんな仕事をしていると思いますか?その理由は?」今といっても、今は後期高齢者の身ですから、働いていた現役の時代としてのり答えです。
    「新聞記者」、記者と言っても、テレビの記者ではなく、あくまでも紙の新聞を発行する新聞の記者です。支局の地方記者がいいですね。地元、地域に密着した喜ばれる記事を中心に取材し、紙面に反映させたいです。もちろん、もし、そこに地で事件とかが起きれば、もちろんそうしたことも他紙に先駆けて積極的に取り組みます。事件だけではありません。どのよう事案・分野のものであっても、地元をカバーする意味からも積極的に取り組みます😁
    通常は地域に密着した話題などを掘り起こし発信していきたいです。
    自身、30代のころ、商業新聞ではなく、政党の機関紙とされるものでしたが、それは日本でも唯一の、商業新聞に勝るとも劣らない紙面づくりをしていた日刊紙です。もちろん党員でなければできないことです。今はその党を離れて40年以上になります☺️
    その機関紙には地方版もあります。居住していた北海道、その全域がエリアの地方版です。その紙面に多くのトップ記事が載っています。時には、エリアが北海道以外に広がる社会面に大きく掲載されたこともあります。
    それは、オホーツク海岸で見られた光る流氷の記事です。それで通信員賞を受賞したこともあります。本来は居住する自治体域が要するに管轄、守備範囲ですが、それは明文化されたものではありません。所属する党支部の活動の一環だからです。その記事は隣町のものでした。
    そのような地域外のものはさておき、地域内においてのものが取材対象です。
    トップ記事になったものに、全校生徒45人ほどのへき地小学校で、子どもたちが、先生や校長、用務員さんまでも含めた学校ぐるみで作り上げた版画カレンダー、それを取り上げたものです。カメラを向けると子どもたちが出来上がったカレンダーを校長先生の合図で一斉に掲げてくれました。そんな写真とともに掲載されました。
    こうした経験もあり、ぜひとも地方記者をやりたいです😁

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you for sharing such a fascinating and heartfelt perspective. 😊 Your choice of becoming a local newspaper reporter makes perfect sense, especially after reading about your wonderful experiences as a correspondent.

      I was particularly touched by the story of the small rural school with only about 45 students and their handmade print calendar. Such stories may never make national headlines, but they capture the real heart of a community. The image of the children proudly raising their calendars together must have been unforgettable. 📰📸

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Wonderfull reflection my dear friend,it makes think about your choise in life ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐👏👏👏

    Liked by 2 people

  8. I love this. A very inspirational idea to be own. But I think about political parties and about their promises. They may be united as they have no difference in deciding their pay and perks.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you for sharing this interesting perspective! 😊 You make a very thought-provoking point about political parties. They may strongly disagree on many issues, yet when it comes to deciding their own salaries and perks, they often seem remarkably united! 😄

      Perhaps that is why the idea of equal opportunity and fairness is so important. Promises are easy to make, but what truly matters is how sincerely they are translated into action.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Sir V, you ARE a writer-teacher-artist! It’s great that you’re flouting conventional labels. You are basically being and doing you, not fitting into a pre-determined box by a corporate entity. That’s my takeaway from this post. My dream job, then, is not a what but a who. Who do I want to become? That is the question.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you so much for this thoughtful reflection! 😊
      I love your idea that the dream job is not a “what” but a “who.” Perhaps the most meaningful career is the one that allows us to become the person we truly want to be. Labels may define professions, but they cannot define our curiosity, creativity, or purpose. After retirement, I have realised that writing, teaching, painting, and creating are not separate boxes for me—they are simply different expressions of who I am.

      Liked by 1 person

      • In your career, you fulfilled your role in society. In retirement, you fulfill your part in humanity.

        Liked by 1 person

        • What a beautiful way to put it! 🙏😊
          During our working years, we often measure life by responsibilities, targets, and professional achievements. Retirement opens a different chapter—one where we can contribute through kindness, creativity, sharing experiences, and simply being there for others.

          Like

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