Short YouTube video by TJ Walker warning about the downsides of billable-hour pricing (common in corporate law). Walker argues that commodifying every minute makes it hard to enjoy non-work life and cautions against choosing a profession solely for the high hourly pay; instead, pick work that brings joy and uses your talents.
The problem with billable hours. Now, there can be honor in any profession, but there are also dangers. You look at one of the most highly paid professions in the world, corporate attorneys. Billable hours can be 1,000, $2,000 an hour in some cases. Sounds great. The problem is, once you start commodifying every minute of your time, every second of your time can be hard to enjoy anything else because you're thinking about, is that time at the Little League really worth a thousand dollars of my time? Be careful. It's a trap. If this is the profession that gives you the most joy, uses your talents the most, by all means do it. But do not enter a profession simply because the amount of money you get per hour of billable time is the most. Because it's going to reward you the most, but cost you the most. Please follow the TJ Walker habit.
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