Sat next to a retiree on a flight who changed how I think about work

I was flying to Denver last month for a quick trip and ended up next to a guy probably in his late 70s. He told me he worked 42 years as a tool and die maker, never missed a single day of work except for his heart surgery. I mentioned I was stressing about a career decision between two job offers, one paid a lot more but had longer hours. He just shrugged and said "I never met a man on his deathbed who wished he worked more" and then went back to his crossword puzzle. That one sentence hit me harder than any career advice I ever got from a manager or podcast. The next day I turned down the higher paying offer in favor of the one that gave me more time with my kids. Has anyone else had a random stranger say something that completely reframed a career choice? What was it?

2 comments

2 Comments

lunaw724d ago

The 42 years with no sick days is honestly kind of alarming, not inspiring. I mean, you can respect the dedication but that doesn't sound like a healthy approach to life. It's one thing to protect your time with family, it's another to act like one sentence from a stranger on a plane should settle a major career choice.

bettyh844d ago

Same. That "alarming" part is exactly what I was thinking.