Having a job that you truly love is an amazing feeling. Not only does it put food on the table, but it provides you with a deep sense of purpose and personal growth. It’s not just about the money—even if career opportunities are an important factor. It’s about making an impact in the world. But how many of you could genuinely say that you’d stay at the company you currently work at if you ever won the lottery? 

Well, as it turns out, plenty people would. Members of the r/AskReddit community revealed what their jobs are and why they wouldn’t quit even if they got lucky and hit the jackpot. It’s genuinely wholesome and inspiring. And it’s proof that your career can be meaningful, not just a bottomless pit of soul-sucking despair. Scroll down to see what these internet users had to say.

#1

Kennel attendant. I’ll never willingly turn my back on these animals.

Image credits: anon

#2

Barista is my main regular job. I f*****g love it. I love being able to talk to people all day and making cute little swans or whatever in peoples drinks.

Image credits: Low_Perception9046

#3

I’m a doctor. A great portion of my income is already donated to my hospital’s program that expands access to low-income patients. I’d probably give 100% of my income to the program if I won and use the lottery winnings for living.

Image credits: Shiblets

A concept that has helped us immensely in our lives is the idea of ‘ikigai.’ It’s a Japanese concept that touches on a person’s reason for being. Ikigai focuses on finding balance between four things: what you love, what the world needs, what you’re good at, and what you can be paid for. 

If any of the four aspects are lacking in your life, you may not feel as fulfilled as you could be. Doing what you love and what you’re good at for very little money will be chronically frustrating. Meanwhile, doing what the world needs and what pays well even if you hate every moment of it will leave you burned out and looking to jump ship. It’s only when the four elements are at play that you can talk about ikigai, which stands above your passion, mission, profession, and vocation.

#4

I do hair. Love it! Gives me purpose.

Image credits: Hyperboleballad

#5

I’m actually a chef at my local homeless shelter. My dream job, even with an advanced degree. I’d not quit this if I won 3 lotteries. I would, however, cut a fat check to my organization and my sister organization

Image credits: subwooferofthehose

#6

I’m a winemaker. I absolutely love what I do, and would never give it up.

If I was to win the jackpot, I would buy better toys for my vineyard and winery.

Image credits: TheRealVinosity

That’s not to say that if you’re passionate enough you’ll have no issues whatsoever in your career. Challenges are unavoidable at work. But what matters is your willingness to see things through as you look for solutions. Our intrinsic motivation for what we do is as important as extrinsic factors (like money and status). 

Job satisfaction, according to Indeed, depends on a handful of factors. For one, the work itself has to serve some greater purpose. It has to fire up the employees with a grand vision of some sort. But that means very little if the compensation is poor, there are no growth opportunities, and the workplace culture is toxic. 

#7

When I win the lottery I’ll still work but I’ll probably go to part time. I work with children with special needs 🙂 my job is rewarding and special, I love working with kids. Plus I’m too young to “retire” and not work, I’ll get bored lol

Image credits: No-Section3226

#8

I am a Zookeeper ?. I would love to win the lottery- but I wouldn’t quit my job. Working with animals is incredibly rewarding

Image credits: Soggy_Sector_7777

#9

Nursing, I kind of still like it. I’d probably back off to part time, if I won big.

Image credits: LadyVaresa

Employees also highly value quality managers whom they can trust and respect, and who embrace communication instead of shying away from it.

On top of that, if you want to motivate your staff to go above and beyond the call of duty, you have to be willing to give them some autonomy and flexibility. If you’re micromanaging every tiny aspect of their day-to-day operations, you’re only pushing them away. Companies that truly want to support their workers will look for ways to help them grow their professional and personal skills, instead of trying to min-max their output until they inevitably burn out and quit.

#10

I’m a musician. Basically I have what for most people is a dream job, which makes me a non-representative specimen. On the other hand, I still occasionally work as a paramedic, and as rewarding as that job can be, I’m mostly doing it when I want to grab some extra cash. I’d probably let my certs expire if I was rich.

Image credits: loose_lady_lutenist

#11

I teach people how to sew, mostly kids but we have a few adult classes as well.

It is stressful but also so rewarding to see a room full of people who have learned a skill from you and can take home a bunch of goodies, and sewing is a dying skill so we need to teach it more!

Image credits: Interesting-Chest520

#12

I’m the Assistant Director for a Children’s Theatre.

It’s really not something you do for the money. You do it because you love it and can’t imagine your life without it.

Image credits: RamblingsOfaMadCat

How (dis)satisfied are you at your current jobs, dear Pandas? What would you do if you won the lottery? Ideally, what kind of work would you like to do if money wasn’t even an issue? We’re really curious to hear your thoughts about these questions, so if you have a moment, share yours in the comments.

#13

I drive a bus for a retirement village and memory care unit.

They’re not all a bunch of brain dead trump zombies and the ones that aren’t are the best, sweetest, kindest people I’ve ever met. I love my residents.

Image credits: MandalorianManners

#14

I work at an after-school program for teens with disabilities and it is the most fun, rewarding job I’ve ever had. Plus, I would miss my kiddos.

Image credits: sqwrlydoom

#15

Tattoo artist!!!

Image credits: MujumboliaOG

#16

Clinical cancer research. I might have a few more days off though.

Image credits: ProfessorFunky

#17

Public librarian. Not leaving till I can’t do it anymore. Love the public (most of them, most of the time), love getting people resources to improve their lives, love being the first to know about new books/movies/music/board games, love spending tax money on things that make people actually happy, love talking to my ridiculously smart, talented coworkers. I’m on my fourth career. This is the only one I wouldn’t leave immediately if money were no issue.

Image credits: Ill_Opportunity_1960

#18

midwife. aka badass mother helper.

Image credits: Ambidravi

#19

I develop chemical sensors. I would buy the company and work half time. The joy of solving the types of problems that come up are fun. I would also get to solve the bedbug detector problems.

Image credits: BadDadWhy

#20

I recondition (light remodeling) apartments after tenants move out. I’m alone all day and I can listen to podcasts or books, the work is very satisfying to me, and as a woman I’ve loved learning HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work as I use the experience in my own home when things break/need updated. I would go crazy without working anyway but I really do love my job

Image credits: Dependent-Bass-2043

#21

I run my own company and my employees are like my children. I love them to bits, and we do meaningful work with remarkable companies. I hit the jackpot already

Image credits: GNuLLiF

#22

I’m a criminal defense lawyer. The job can get stupid stressful, particularly in the days leading up to and during jury trials for clients charged with serious crimes, but damn, does it feel good to advocate for others, all while pushing back against baked-in injustices that plague the criminal system.

I feel so fortunate. Every day is a reminder that crime does not happen in a vacuum – if you leave a toaster outside all winter and then go to plug it in in the spring, it’d be unreasonable to expect it to work perfectly. But yet that’s oftentimes what the criminal system expects out of people who have themselves been subjected to trauma from the earliest moments of their lives.

Image credits: TheEighthJuror

#23

I work at a pizza place in the kitchen.

It gets me out of the house, and I like some of the people there.

Image credits: Interesting_State756

#24

I already quit my necktie job to become a wood artist. I would never go back to the office no matter what.

If I won a billion dollars tomorrow, I would continue to make and sell my wood items. I would improve my shop, buy more tools, air purifying system, compressor, sanders, and perhaps build a shop with nice windows and storage space. And I would love to spend the rest of my days making things and then selling them. It is not the money, it is that people want things I thought up and made.

#25

Anesthesiologist. Love the job, worked for many years to acquire the skill set

#26

Aircraft Mechanic. For me nothing and I mean nothing get me excited for the day like goin to fix airplanes and making them fly. I work on military aircraft so it’s very different from civilian aircraft but I truly love what I do.

#27

Band instrument repair. I’d probably quit the company I work for if it was enough money. I’d buy all my own tooling, though, and continue doing repair. Just taking on projects I want to do without as much pressure for time and money.

#28

I’m already independently wealthy and I work with DV and SA survivors. It’s meaningful to me and I need an answer for when people ask “So what do you do?”

#29

Labor and delivery nurse! I will prob have to be forced into retirement one day because I love my job so much!

#30

I drive a concrete truck. I love driving and enjoy building things that will outlast me, so it’s the best of both worlds. I spend my day working and listening to audiobooks, podcasts, and music with no boss standing over my shoulder. I would do my job at least part time while taking a lot more vacations if I won millions in the lottery because I actually find it fun.

#31

I think I would stay a firefighter. I love the comraderie and the variety in every day. And hey….I won the lottery…I can pay someone to take a shift if I don’t feel like working. Also I would learn to fly.

#32

I train shelter dogs and write grants for animal welfare orgs. I love how dogs think and the look on their faces when they understand what you’re asking them to do, and I love grant writing because it’s like manipulation in written form.

I’d keep a chunk of the lottery money to buy a house and a big backyard and get my self a chef because I hate cooking (and get good health insurance), but a lot of it would go into a foundation where I could give it to shelters and rescues. Just think, we could save THOUSANDS of animals every year.

#33

I work in education, winning the lotto I could buy a home walking distance to work and then I would have more time to do cool s**t for kids. I’d probably end up bankrolling a bunch of cool projects. Then I would start a down payment assistance program for new teachers that would make them home owners too.

I’d also use my money and influence to fight against the a*****e rich schmucks in my town who stop everything from happening. Bunch of old nimby boomers that need to be c**k slapped with a millionaire that can simply shout them down. I’d buy the local newspaper and fire every single person working there, I’d hire libertarian free minded journalists and then I would partner with every single local organization so I could help to be in front of these nimbys and their constant shutting down of anyone and anything that tries to improve the town.

After owning my home, my brothers homes and parents. I would also use my last dollars helping get kids into programs that they want to pursue. Sadly I have watched a lot of really talented kids go nowhere due to stupid parents or s****y circumstances. Many of these kids just needed a 2-4 year handout to go from minimum wage to living wage, and their parents couldn’t even help them do that. I’d probably extended that to working adults too. Probably a lot of people out there with so many bills that they can’t stop and fix their life. I’ve always imagined like $50k a year, go back to school, and get them out of their s****y car loans and debt, buy a Toyota Camry that covers them for the next 20 years, and just fully reset their life.

One can dream.

Image credits: Int-Merc805

#34

I work with athletes to improve their performance, return them to sport post-injury, and help them reach the next level of competition. I love what I do, and I don’t think that will ever change.

#35

I fly an attack helicopter. I don’t spend all day doing it, but when I actually get to it’s the best thing in the world. I get to fly low level through all sorts of incredibly scenic landscapes and enjoy views I’d never have the opportunity to otherwise. Views you’d have to hike days or weeks into the back country or into the mountains to get a glimpse of. I also get to blow things up, using a variety of weapons. I’ve thought many times about what I’d do if I won the lottery and honestly I’d probably stay. My car would be a little nicer though

#36

Engineer. It’s not because I love my work though (I like it, but…)

… but rather it would be the end of what I’ve known my entire life. I’m afraid I’d slip into a deep depression, realizing that I had nothing to really live for anymore? Kinda messed, eh?

Image credits: shoelessmarcelshell

#37

This is going to sound stupid but I deliver food for UberEats.
I do it mostly for my mental wellness. I am retired so I do this to get me out of the house during the day instead of sitting around doing nothing but battling my depression and anxiety.

I love the feeling of riding around town on an electric scooter and seeing the sights here in NYC while also having a feeling of self worth… if that makes any sense.

I don’t expect anyone to understand how much I get out of doing deliveries but I hope it can make some semblance of understanding to those in the psychiatric field at the very least because I feel as though I need validation for some odd reason.

#38

I’m a hospice nurse. I wouldn’t quit my job. I feel like it’s important. But I wouldn’t stress about taking a vacation if I won the lottery

#39

Middle school band teacher at a school that doesn’t give me too much stress. Also a professional musician. I simply would have money for more trumpets.

#40

School bus driver. Like the kids, love the job. Not mentally taxing, gives me a sense of community as well.

#41

I would quit my day job. However, I’ll never stop writing stories. Writing gives me a chance to escape my reality. It’s the most therapeutic thing I’ve ever experienced. I love creating characters, putting them in imperfect lives and situations, and helping them fix themselves and better their situations.

#42

I get to read DUI police reports all day. Most entertaining job I’ve ever had.

Image credits: Wookie301

#43

I actually worked with a guy who won 10 million in the Florida Lotto. He was 5 years from full retirement after 25 years of basically delivering AV equipment to rooms on our college campus. He opted to stay at his job because he barely did any work there anyway.

Image credits: Coconut-bird

#44

I work in addiction recovery. It means a lot to me. I wouldn’t quit if I won the lottery, but I would go part time.

Image credits: randtcouple

#45

I teach in a difficult state to do that. So if I don’t do it then it’s one less person who’s going to try and do a good job for the kids.

Image credits: WellSpokenAsianBoy

#46

janitor. hours is good. work is easy. people are mostly nice. something to keep me busy

Image credits: IHate2ChooseUserName

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