Will you do it even if you aren't paid?

Anonymous mentioned that the true test of loving what you do is : Will you do it even without getting paid? Interesting, albeit a trifle utopian.

Here's another ponder: Is Job Love like Value Rating? (Avoided using Job satisfaction since its much abused like that other favorite - Work Life Balance!)

Value rating is Benefit over Price. Value can be high if the benefit you get is a lot more than the price you pay. Or, for a given benefit if you end up paying a low price. (This last bit was for the poets :-). Is Job Love: Return over Effort?

If it is, what drives Return higher? I think
Return = f(money, appreciation, ego fulfillment). For the poets, this means Return could be any or all or some of monetary remuneration, appreciation / respect and a feeling within you that you have made a difference.

What drives effort lower?
Most people believe that they put their maximum effort into their work. Few would get up and say, "Today, I'll only give my 60%". Haven't come across many. So in a sense, effort is a constant.

Another school of thought says that effort can 'seem to be' less if the work is enjoyable. Hmmmm......now its getting circular. Lets consider this a bit more.....

Maybe, Return is only about money. Maybe Job Love = Money/Effort. Maybe appreciation and ego fulfillment make the Effort seem lower rather than making the Return higher. They reduce the denominator, thereby increasing Job love........ you see where this is going??

Net, Job Love is not loving your job in isolation. It seems to be 'how much money you make and is that worth given the effort you seem to put. The money is real, the effort is a perception. What goes in the numerator or denominator is up for discussion........

Whatsay????