Midwestern Play Ethic

It will seem a paradox at first - the work ethic is so strong because the folks in the Midwest value their play time. Both work and play are important parts of defining who they are. They are every bit as much a hunter or a fisherman or a biker or a car fanatic or a quilter, as they are a welder, or a farmer, or an electrician or an accountant. It’s not so much that they work in order to play, it’s that playing is a cherished part of living, a passion, and made a priority. And, most important, play time is kept separate from work. They don’t try to make work more like play like a lot of Silicon Valley tech companies do – that would only denigrate both. Achieving the elusive work/life balance is not an obsession for them– it’s a consequence of cherishing play and making it a priority. They work hard, real hard. That’s what we all see as the work ethic half of the equation. But after that, when the whistle blows, there is something on the other side of that gate that is also compelling and important to them, pulling at their hearts and drawing them in. In his song Racing in the Street, Bruce Springsteen captures this sentiment dramatically:

Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece
Some guys come home from work and wash up
And go racing in the street

While the Boss was singing of the passion for working on cars and street racing, the same sentiment can be applied more generally to a genuine passion for playing.

The second observation is that work, as consuming a preoccupation as it can be, is not overindulged in just for the sake of getting “more”. More important than “more”, is the time and the freedom to pursue opportunities to play. There is a contentedness in that space; it’s where that balance is achieved, a balance so elusive to so many.

Lastly, much of the play that is healthily pursued involves the family and friends – passions that are shared, learned, acquired and passed down, so that generations, traditions and history live on through this play. It was explained to me this way: “We all have different jobs and come from all walks of life, but on this weekend, we all share a passion on this playground”.

The lessons I’ve learned from observing these hard working folks are –

• play must be made a priority, it can’t be fit in when convenient, or only when a short-term escape from work is needed;

• don’t try to bring the playground to work or vice versa – you risk messing both of them up;

• chasing “more” at the expense of play time is a warning signal – heed the warning!

• share your passions and your play time with family and friends to build traditions that matter.

Oops, gotta go… it’s 5:00 and I’m going sailing with our son this evening.