We talk all the time about people’s Work Ethic – how they keep their noses to the grindstone, how they multitask to completion, how they accomplish so much each day, crossing tasks off their lists as they go.

But do we ever talk about anyone’s Play Ethic?

The reason I ask is because of my son. He’s the first one up in the house on a Saturday, punching in at 6:00 am,  stopping only occasionally when his hunger is too great to ignore. Working in a weekend sweatshop? No, at his computer. Playing video games, researching hacks, viewing tutorials, creating mods, skins, & maps, and searching for glitches in his spare time.

Wasting his time and talent you say? Not interacting with other kids, not playing outside, not doing something useful?

Could be.

Or, he could be on to something. He’s found his passion and he lets nothing, not even common sense or hygiene,  get in his way. The boy has mastered his Play Ethic, and one day he won’t need a Work Ethic like you or me, cause he’ll be doing work that will look like play to him.

He’s got it right – we’re the ones who have totally missed the boat on this. We were raised to think “Work” is a four-letter word (which I suppose is technically correct, but you don’t have to be such a smart ass about it!) and we have to put in our time in order to retire and then do what we want with our lives.

So I say let the boy be, and learn what we can from him…