IMHO: There is a difference between the job you do and your career. My career (programmer/software developer/software engineer/computer scientist) will last my whole life. It's something I like (I chose it) and it's something I can do on my own. It is independent from money and any material thing. It matters to me.

My job (currently: senior software engineer) is a different beast, even if it touches on aspects of my career. I do it to pay the bills. I do it in a professional way but that's all about it.

That is exactly the point - that leaves 55-60% of our waking time not working. Why let the minority of your time define your self worth and identity?

Sure, our work time serves someone else's desires... in exchange for money that we use to build the home and life that we want. Hopefully spending our time and energy with the people and family we want. Work is a tool to empower everything else. Do that work - do it well. But let the "everything else" define you.

Do you sleep? You, realistically, get only 15~20% of your waking hours to yourself. I know it goes in favor of the 'you are your job' camp, of which I am against, so what I'd say is 'choose wisely'.

> Even if you in enjoy your job, the reality is work is one of the biggest parts of our lives and wrapped up in our sense of self worth and identity.

This is true for all living beings, all animals spend a large part of their day in collecting/scavenging/hunting food, prepaing shelter etc.

> wrapped up in our sense of self worth and identity

Speak for yourself.

I can completely fail at work, go home, and sleep like a baby. Conversely, I can have an amazingly good day, enjoy it and then completely forget about it the next day.

It's just a job.

Guess it depends on your employer. Many where I am will fire you depending on your performance and very hastily so. They’ll also try to make your life miserable along the way.