What is work?

This week, a friend commented on how busy I am—even though I don’t technically have to “work.” That made me think, what does work truly mean?

In the spirit of redefining words that no longer serve us, I started reexamining the meaning of “work” for myself. Traditionally, it's seen as transactional—exchanging time, activity, and effort for compensation. And often, it's associated with doing something we don’t want to do, just to earn a paycheck. That’s the part that feels most misaligned: working not out of purpose, but out of obligation.

One way I check if I’m still in alignment is simple: how do I feel on Sunday evening? If there’s dread creeping in, that’s a red flag. But if there’s energy and excitement for what’s ahead, that’s a sign I’m living in flow.

So I asked myself—what is it that I’m actually doing? It made me think deeper. I’m not “working” in the traditional sense. I’m doing what I love. I’m engaged, energized, surrounded by people I genuinely enjoy, and yes, I’m being compensated. But compensation isn’t the driver. Alignment is.

There’s a framework I use that’s helped me intentionally design a more fulfilling life. It connects three elements: your passions, your skills, and your goals. When you map them out, patterns begin to emerge. You start to see a “common thread,” a through line that connects the most joyful and powerful moments in your life.

Once I identified my own thread, I stopped trying to balance work and life, and instead started integrating them. One example: I created a healthcare innovators pickleball club, combining my passion for movement and community with my love for healthcare innovation. It’s fun, meaningful, and aligned on every level.

That’s the magic of this framework. It helps you bring your full self into everything you create. No more separating work from play, business from purpose, or income from impact. Instead, you build a life where they all coexist and reinforce one another.

When your work is rooted in who you are, it stops feeling like work. It becomes a lifestyle. A reflection of your values, your joy, and your purpose.

So now I’ll ask you: What does work mean to you, and how might you redefine it on your own terms?