Thursday, December 14, 2006

Work - Is That Really What It Is?

It's funny. We all know someone or have known someone who is totally unhappy with their job. My question is this, why do people keep themselves in a situation that in it's misery will make their short lives so desperate?

I used to be that guy. The difference is that I recognized that my life has the potential to be very short and came to the conclusion that my time here on earth should not be comprised of me counting minutes until 5 o'clock, Monday through Friday, only to go home and bitch about work. What a miserable existence. What spouse wants that for the rest of their lives, what kind of example does that promote to children?

I was listening to The 8Th Habit on disc today and this topic came up as it relates to empowerment in the workplace. It got me thinking. Can you truly be empowered if you continue to view your "job" as "work?" And if not, how can you live prosperously, not in poverty and happily if you need and have a "job." Then it dawned on me, you don't. I put in crazy hours, work my ass off, am accountable to results but do not consider what I do a job. I do not even consider it work.

I have re-positioned what makes me happy and turned that into my "job." So I guess if very few in this world are willing or able to empower us, at what point does an individual say, "to hell with it, I am in control, I am doing this my way" and take control in a positive way? Easier said than done for some. So when I hear friends or others say things like "if only I could do this...I would be soooo happy." I usually respond - what is stopping you? Who is holding the chain around your neck? Go, be free and happy.

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