Have you ever stopped to think about how the word work shapes our lives? It’s a word so deeply ingrained in our vocabulary that we rarely question it. But lately, I’ve found myself wondering: What if the word “work” didn’t exist? What if instead of working, we focused on creating? Would that simple shift in language change how we spend our time and approach our days?

It’s not just a linguistic tweak—it’s a shift in mindset. And it’s one that’s been growing in me over the years, as I’ve experienced work in so many different forms. From mowing lawns as a teenager, to manning a cash register, to leading teams, managing projects, and solving problems at an organizational level. I’ve had good days and bad days, moments of questioning whether I was on the right path, and times when I’ve had to push through challenges as part of my own growth process. But through it all, I’ve come to realize that what truly lights me up isn’t “work” in the traditional sense—it’s creating. It’s building something new, solving problems, and leaving an impact.

The Weight of “Work”

For so many people, “work” feels heavy. It’s a grind, a chore, a necessary evil. How often do you hear someone say, “I have to go to work”? That single sentence carries a weight of obligation, as if work is something to endure rather than something to engage with.

I’ve seen this attitude seep into organizations, where the word “work” gets tangled up with corporate drudgery and negativity. And it’s contagious. One person’s dissatisfaction can shift the energy of an entire team. It’s a spiral that’s hard to escape from unless you change how you think about what you’re doing.

But what if we didn’t call it work? What if, instead, we called it creating?

The Power of Creation

When I think back on the moments in my life that were most fulfilling, they were all about creating. As a kid, I would spend hours building castles, inventing spaceships out of Lego bricks, or drawing landscapes from my imagination. There were no rules, no instructions—just raw materials and the freedom to make something new.

That same spirit followed me into architecture school, where every project was a creative challenge. We’d be given a problem, and it was up to us to develop a solution. It wasn’t just about the end result—it was about the process of exploring, iterating, and presenting our ideas. Later, as I moved into architecture firms, the military, and management consulting, I approached each new challenge the same way: as an opportunity to create. Whether it was drafting a proposal, aligning resources, or crafting a solution to a complex problem, my energy came from the act of building something meaningful.

When I started thinking of my daily efforts as creating instead of working, something shifted. Work stopped being a series of tasks to check off a list and became an opportunity to make an impact. Creating opens up a world of possibility—where every day, every project, every interaction is a chance to build something better.

A Thought Experiment

Imagine a world where we replaced the word “work” with “create.”

• Instead of saying, “I have to go to work,” you’d say, “I’m heading out to create.”
• Instead of “What do you do for work?” we’d ask, “What do you create?”
• Instead of “I hate my job,” we’d hear, “I’m looking for something new to create.”

It might sound small, but that shift reframes everything. Suddenly, life isn’t about slogging through obligations—it’s about contributing, building, and shaping the world around us.

Think about how this mindset could ripple through society. Businesses would still run. Goods would still be made, services delivered, and problems solved. But the energy behind it would be different. Creating invites curiosity, innovation, and ownership. It encourages people to see their roles not as limitations, but as opportunities to make something better.

The Challenges of Creation

Of course, creating isn’t all sunshine and smooth sailing. The act of creating often forces us to confront challenges head-on. You’ll hit roadblocks, face resource constraints, and encounter moments when your ideas just don’t work. Sometimes you’ll need to pivot or realign yourself to a new path entirely.

But those challenges are part of the process. They’re what make creating worthwhile. When you’re building something meaningful, even the setbacks feel purposeful—they’re just another step in the journey.

Creating also demands that we continuously level up. As we grow, we often reach a point where we’ve outgrown our current role, our current organization, or even our current way of thinking. That’s when it’s time to ask yourself: What’s next? What’s the next thing I want to create?

Rewriting the Narrative

When I look back at the jobs I’ve held, I see a thread running through all of them: the desire to create. Whether I was cutting grass, helping customers, leading teams, or consulting on complex problems, I was always most energized when I saw myself as a builder.

This shift in perspective—from working to creating—has transformed how I approach everything I do. And I wonder: What would happen if more people embraced this mindset? What if, instead of seeing work as a grind, we all saw it as an opportunity to create?

It’s not just about the words we use—it’s about how we see ourselves and our time. If we start to view our days as filled with opportunities to create, to solve, and to contribute, the world begins to look a little brighter.

Here’s my challenge to you: Try it. For one day, stop thinking about “work” and start thinking about “creating.” Notice how it shifts your energy, your focus, and your sense of purpose.

You might be surprised by how much it changes everything.