Sunday 25 January 2015

The 'Job' Myth

This is for those who do not spend the majority their days feeling fulfilled at work… I’ve been there, and I may be there again someday, so this is a minder as well as a reminder. ..

It is not your job’s fault that you’re unfulfilled. 
Don’t blame your job. 

Why don’t you work for or at something you love?  Answer that.

Do you work for or at something you love in your “free time”, when you’re not working at the “job” you have to have in order to pay your bills?  Does time off work feel free?  Or is that time taken up by doing all the things that should have been done while you were working?  Or are you paying other people to do those things with the money you make at the job you don’t like?  Or are you ignoring the things that should be done outside of work because you just want to relax from your job?

If you could make a choice right now that could lead you to an overall feeling of happiness or contentment, what would you choose to do?  Why?

These questions need to be answered fully, so you can begin to free yourself from working at a job you don’t like.  It starts with staying at your job.  I know, it doesn’t sound good, but you need to do some things before you quit your job, because it’s not your job’s fault.  First, Be At your Work – There’s a reason you’re there. It’s paying your bills, your rent… and it’s forcing you to do or be something that you won’t do or be by yourself: Ask yourself what that is.  Second, Be At your Play – Take a good look at how you spend your time when you’re not at work.

Further, as a society, we need citizens to be fulfilled in their livelihoods – When people feel fulfilled, it follows that they aid and support others toward fulfillment.  Our society is wrapped around people being required to work for money to pay for things and services; so, if you don’t “work”, you don’t get money, so you don’t get “things” and “services”.  Most of us just get some job to fit in society, but that leads to being unfulfilled. Depression and stress are key indications of being unfulfilled. Criminal behaviour, Addiction, Suicide, Homicide… all happen when we’re so unfulfilled that we can’t even cope.  Why are we continually serving and making toxic and breakable things that we don’t actually need? It is a vicious and unnecessary circle that's hard to cope with indeed. This way of life is not working (pun intended)!  A society made up of fulfilled individuals would be a great society.  It starts with You.

It is true that not everyone wants to be an artist, or a nurse, or a fashion designer, or a farmer, or a scientist, or a sport professional… some people actually want to do things you don’t want to do.  Some people enjoy cleaning for a wage, because it doesn’t take too much skill or time, they make money at it, and are then freed up to do the things they love (e.g.  John the janitor loves hiking in the woods, but hiking doesn’t generate an income, so he joyfully cleans up the places of people who are busy doing other jobs, or things they love to do, so he can hike a few days a week) - However, if John the janitor wants to hike most days of the week, he needs to find a way to generate income from it.  He needs to get very proficient at long hikes in various terrain every chance he gets outside of his cleaning job, and then go out and find fulfilling work as a guide on hiking expeditions.  So, as Zen as it sounds:  When you’re cleaning, Clean… don’t get bogged down with mental and emotional crap about other things you’d rather be doing while you’re cleaning. 
   
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” 
– Steve Jobs

 “Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.”
 –Rumi.   

These kinds of quotes on doing what you love by remarkable people are nice sentiments, and true too… but, really, you have a mortgage, taxes, energy bills, and kids who need things… So, you don’t Get It yet.

Oh, and to Get It, in the meantime, while you’re breaking free, you will be unhappy and frustrated and scared and hopeless – but, these things are Important to Feel – they are  Master Guides, and need to be respected for showing you what’s going on inside…  most people prefer to ignore or stifle them, but that will not benefit anything.  These negative feelings are there for you to look at, ask questions about. Look at them. Answer those questions. And then ask what do you want to do with your time here?  Those negative feelings will be with you while you transition out of fear and attachment to things that hold you where you are.  Realistically, you’ve already made choices that you are now paying for… Suck it up and take a chance on turning around.  
What do you have to lose?   
This life?   
You’re going to lose it anyway.