Work is not a duty so much as a responsibility we all have to ourselves IN ORDER TO BE HAPPY. The traditional work ethic tells us to work for others, or for God, or for society. Religionists and socialists see work as the basis of society for this reason. I maintain that you should work for your own sake, and for no other reason. Ideally, jobs and career bring money and fulfillment. Money (as a motive) is a good start if the fulfillment doesn’t come right away. Money is good because it helps a person achieve independence and buy things that (a) enable one to survive and (b) enable one to have pleasure in life (books, music, trips, pets, family or whatever you enjoy). Money is the form your work takes. You’re not “buying” your self-worth with money; you’re producing and creating it.