Do we really need to work?

I've been mulling this question around for several years now. Do we really need to work? Now many would argue that I am in no position to ask this question because I don't work much anyway.

I do, however, have a full-time job, so that's kind of like work. The obvious answer is of course we do. How else will we earn the money we need to survive?

My next question is how much money (if any at all) do we need to survive?

I have had times in my life when I have earned very little money and times when I have earned substantially more money. I can find no correlation between satisfaction and money.

I've been happy and unhappy with money. I've been happy and unhappy while broke.

Don't get me wrong. I like having money. I just don't like working. Most people I know don't like working. Yet most people I know (including myself) keep accumulating obligations which ensure that they must continue to work.

Houses, cars, toys, boats, vacations. I'm big on vacations, but think about it. You work to earn money to take a vacation, but if you didn't work you wouldn't need one.

I hit a tipping point a few years ago when I was considering hiring a lawn-care company to take care of my yard. I really liked taking care of my yard, but I was too busy.

So I was considering going to work at something I didn't particularly enjoy to earn money to pay someone to do something I did enjoy. Freaking nuts, right?

I ended up quitting my job and starting my own company. It didn't change anything though. I still accumulated obligations that had to be met. The job changed but the problem remained.

I was working for money, which has no inherent value.

If I owned a lawn-care business I would get sick of taking care of lawns. Is it because I would get tired of it? I don't think so.

If I'm taking care of my own lawn I'm not doing it for money. It's not work. I enjoy it. I do it for the satisfaction it gives me. I do it because I like to see the flowers bloom that I have planted.

If someone pays me it becomes work.

So, again I ask, do we really need to work?