I enjoy reading books and articles about productivity, success, and just doing life positively. Heaven knows, I need to focus on the positives as much as anyone!
I’ve been pondering the whole ‘what to do for a living’ scenario. Having young adults that are stepping out into the world to varying degrees , well, it brings me back to when I was trying to figure out life and what to do. I remember being in turmoil and wondering and wishing someone would just TELL me what to do. Then again, when someone did TELL me what to do, I would push back and want to ‘do it by myself’, just like a two year old attempting to button up a shirt!
There seems to be a few philosophies about work out there:
1. Do what you LOVE and don’t settle for anything less.
2. Do what you ARE – according to your personality and make sure you follow your passions in other areas of your life (i.e. in your leisure).
3. Consider whatever you do a blessing and focus on the positives.
Yeah, ideally, I’d like to have a job where I can say, “And they PAY me to do this! I can’t believe it!”
This might be a cop out, but I think all of these three philosophies may be right for a person at different times. They just might not be realistic at certain times. It depends on other factors. Such as:
- How much of a risk taker are you? Perhaps you need to begin to take a few steps out of your comfort zone and ask yourself What’s the worst that could happen if I leave this job?
-How desperate are you for change? Does it hurt bad enough for you to move off the pin under your tush?
-Are you unemployed right now? I think anything is better than being unemployed for an indefinite amount of time.
-How bad is your job right now on a scale of 1-10? The trick is not to stay at this job for too long. Keep looking. Keep talking. Keep researching ideas. Keep trying new things.
Personally, I have tried to focus on the positives in my work. It’s not EXACTLY what I love to do , but there are many positive aspects of it.
I have a post it note by my computer that says “I Love My Work!”. On my bad days, I look at that and realize that a lot of times it’s about an attitude adjustment. Napoleon Hill, in his book Think and Grow Rich, says “Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time”, so I am choosing to focus on the positive. I’m teaching myself to do that, because it doesn’t come naturally most times! One day at a time. I really do think attitude makes a HUGE difference.
God encourages to do whatever we do with ‘all our might’ and to do ‘all to the glory of God’. Not an easy thing, but I think He thinks attitude makes a big difference, too.
What do YOU think? Do what you LOVE, do what you ARE, or just do?
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Well, I took Philosophy in school under the 'do what you love and don't settle for anything less' category.
ReplyDeleteAnd since I will graduate next spring I'm thinking about work a lot. Because of my choice in major this is my plan.
Plan A - God will miraculously create the perfect position and drop it in my lap. I don't care about the pay so much, as long as it suits my personality, education, and I can be of some good service to humanity.
Plan B - apply for a job as a truck driver at HVC. It's a step up from janitorial work and it pays about 400% more.
;-)
@Danica - ha! ha! I'd like to see you doing plan B! But really, I do hope you find something that's perfect for YOU.
ReplyDeleteHi Aneta! Thanks for inviting me to your blog!
ReplyDeleteI'm a homemaker and homeschooler, and there are days when I wish I could do something else, but eventually I come back around to being thankful that I yam what I yam. I really am blessed and feel that I am where God wants me to be, and that helps on the more unpleasant days. :)
@Kim - welcome and thanks for joining in! I think it's pretty normal to wish we could be doing something else some days. You're right --The bottom line is.. are we where God wants us to be..sometimes it's hard to know, though.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading about Joseph during his time in Egypt as a slave. "... and the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did." His life is a good example of living all three philosophies from time to time. In the end I think he was doing what he loved, but that wasn't always the case. He might have asked himself the same question ... Do what I love, do what I am, or just do? Perhaps you're right ... it's about attitude.
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic, Aneta!
@Heather - good point! We can't always choose what we love, but we can choose our attitude.
ReplyDelete