Billable Hours

[Mule]

Mule sure sounds like your happy and having a good go at life. Good for You!:smile:

You know, I've learned alot on this forum,

first thing that I've learned is that being a EC is not my true love, but a needed formality to do what I want to do. It's the craft and social ties that I like...job satisfaction.....So...Yes Im a self employeed electrician, not a Electrical Contractor at heart, but I still respect those contractors that provide jobs for other electricians.....

second thing that I've learned is that demographics somtimes play a huge factor in peoples attitude and the way they think and react toward one another, and for different reasons. For me, I am lucky that I live in a conservative area, and I am blessed with a family background that makes me enjoy life....I dont have alot of money, so that cant be it.....:smile:

 

[aline]

I truely love my work, I dont want to do it all of the time because there is other things I love as well. To each their own, but some people go to work just to make money, and I did that for years, and got sick of it. Now I work for myself, I love the social part of my work, and have purpose in providing a safe electrical system for my customers......the payment is nice and I cant exist without it, but personaly I had to re-focus my thinking and Im a much happier person for it....

I guess it's what you define loving it as.

For me if I didn't get paid for it I wouldn't do it. Which in my opinion means I don't love it.
Which means I do it just to make money. Which means I may like it but I don't consider that I love it. If I won the lottery I really don't think I would do electrical work ever, not even for myself. I'd be too busy enjoying all the things I really love to do. I'd probably find a few more things to love to do as well.

Would you still do it if you didn't get paid to do it?

If you won the lottery would you be willing to go do it for free or pay someone for the oportunity to come out and do it so you can socialize or would you spend the time doing something else like socializing with friends and family or spending more time doing something else you love?

I can do a lot of socializing without ever picking up a tool. I only pick up a tool to make money. Even if I pick up a tool to work on my own house I do it for the money. The money I save by not paying someone else to do it and the increase in value of the home.

I love to snowboard. I use tools to repair and maintain my snowboard. I don't love to repair and maintain my snowboard. I do it for the money I save from paying someone else to do it. If I had enough money I would pay someone else to repair and maintain my snowboard and spend more time riding it instead.

If I loved to socialize with people and had enough money I would pay someone else to do electrical work so I could spend more time socializing with people. So I guess I just do electircal work for the money.

 

[Mule]

Would you still do it if you didn't get paid to do it?

If you won the lottery would you be willing to go do it for free or pay someone for the oportunity to come out and do it so you can socialize or would you spend the time doing something else like socializing with friends and family or spending more time doing something else you love?

I can do a lot of socializing without ever picking up a tool. I only pick up a tool to make money. Even if I pick up a tool to work on my own house I do it for the money. The money I save by not paying someone else to do it and the increase in value of the home.

I love to snowboard. I use tools to repair and maintain my snowboard. I don't love to repair and maintain my snowboard. I do it for the money I save from paying someone else to do it. If I had enough money I would pay someone else to repair and maintain my snowboard and spend more time riding it instead.

If I loved to socialize with people and had enough money I would pay someone else to do electrical work so I could spend more time socializing with people. So I guess I just do electircal work for the money.

Understood............Well, I dont play the lottery....

Yes I've had thoughts of when I retire, mixing our RV'ng/Fishing with volunteer electrical work, such as Habitat for Humanity or something simular.....so I guess If I didnt need the money, I would probably still do electrical work, maybe at a reduced rate though..............

But, I guess the best way for me to explain it would be religous and probably considered off topic. So I'll let that lay.....but for me we all have a duty to serve our community in our own talents.

Like playing the guitar or banjo, I can play here in the house for myself, but I dont enjoy it near as much as I do, seeing someone else enjoying it.....I do teach for money, but the real thrill is seeing someone smile because you helped them...I've had a couple student place in national competition and helping them do that is worth way more than the money I recieved getting them to that point......same way with electrical work, the real thrill is the accomplishment of it and others beniefiting from it......

 

[LarryFine]

Would you still do it if you didn't get paid to do it?

I would, if I had a way to get my bills paid. :smile:

I find mytself in no hurry to leave most of my jobs at the end of the day. I'd rather stand back, admire my work, and see if I could have done something better.

Then I realize I did it just right to begin with.

 

[LarryFine]

Like playing the guitar or banjo, I can play here in the house for myself, but I dont enjoy it near as much as I do, seeing someone else enjoying it.....

Same here, almost. I play piano (totally by ear - I can pick out just about any song I know or hear a couple of times), and even enjoy playing for an appreciative audience.

A few years ago, some friends and I went to a small piano-bar pub, and I played a few tunes when their guy took a break (with permission, of course.) When he came back, we played a couple of songs together.

If I got paid for it, however, I think playing would become more of a chore and suck the enjoyment right out of it. Of course, I could be totally wrong, but I don't think I really play (or sing) well enough to get paid for it.

I do, however, think I wire well wnough to get paid for it.

 

[Mule]

Same here, almost. I play piano (totally by ear - I can pick out just about any song I know or hear a couple of times), and even enjoy playing for an appreciative audience.

A few years ago, some friends and I went to a small piano-bar pub, and I played a few tunes when their guy took a break (with permission, of course.) When he came back, we played a couple of songs together.

If I got paid for it, however, I think playing would become more of a chore and suck the enjoyment right out of it. Of course, I could be totally wrong, but I don't think I really play (or sing) well enough to get paid for it.

I do, however, think I wire well wnough to get paid for it.

I used to think I was pretty good........then last night I was at a large jam session at a friends house, and a player that I hadnt seen for 28 years, shows up, gives me a big bear hug (he plays fiddle for Clint Black) any way he smokes everyone at the jam, Amazing how good one gets being a full time working musician......He was SMOK'n..Jazz Swing Blues you name it...He finaly got sick of the road, and wants to be with his family.... and now is trimming houses and teaches on the side...He and I played a jazz tune called "Kansas City Kitty" and he never played the same riff twice, we must have went for 15minutes on the same tune, I was in awe...