I want to talk about your work life. Most people are working hard but would tell you they are not getting the satisfaction they want from their efforts. Why?
The definition of "Work" brings up different things to people. If you love your job, feel you were called to your profession, or find that your work gives you a channel for your talents and abilities, you view 'work as a blessing and a joy. You can't wait to get up in the morning and get started. But if these things are not true for you - if you dread Monday mornings, if you feel your are being held back by a difficult boss or conniving co-workers, you are unhappy and consider your work a curse.
For those of you in the first category - congratulations. You are among the lucky ones who have found your path. You are living your dreams or at least you're on your way.
For others, you are where you are for a purpose. And in spite of all the hard work you're doing that should be giving you satisfaction, you may be your own worst enemy. Are you someone who is neutralizing your own success by failure talk, by association with failure-minded people, and by criticism and condemnation of others who ARE moving up the ladder of success? Turns out, it's easier to spend time speaking in critical terms about work, associates, even the world in general than to do something positive to change it. Pointing fingers may be temporarily satisfying but in the long run it only brings you down more and wastes valuable energy that could be applied to changing your situation.
All transition comes from both an inner and an outer working. The inner working is to realize that you are where you are now for a purpose. We get seemingly stuck in situations to do one of two things:
1. Learn from the situation
2. Give or forgive something in the situation or to an individual in the situation
You can ask yourself "What am I to learn here in my present job?" If it seems like you've "been here before" in terms of yet another difficult boss, yet another conflict with co-workers, yet another situation where you seem to work harder than everyone else - it's true. You are re-creating the same situation over and over again just in different jobs. Why? Because there is inner and outer work to be done by you.
You must pass through this before anything will change. It's often hard to see that. People say, "How can that be? I've done everything I possibly can to deal with these crazy people! It's them, not me...." And you may be right. But the fact that it keeps happening means something.
I challenge you to look harder at what you're missing. Is it something about personal relations? Are there skills you could learning but have been resistant to? Is it discipline you need to learn? Or are you withholding something from the situation? Do you have a skill that could help your employer? Do you need to forgive and forget something between you and another coworker? Be open to this. It's hard when you feel strongly justified in your negativity, but your situation won't budge until you solve this. Your choice - negativity or staying stuck?
Instead, use this current opportunity to discipline your attitudes and reactions to work. Because until you master this situation, you won't move up or out. That's the inner work.
The outer work involves doing something. If you are not satisfied with your present situation, what are you doing to prepare yourself for a better position? Are you willing to take courses at night or on the weekends? Are you willing to be brutally honest about your skills and abilities and make improvements? Are you prepared to engage in constructive activities that help you move up and out, rather than wallowing in criticism, condemnation, and complaining?
Start right where you are now. That new opportunity will open once you have gained all the knowledge and discipline the old work has to offer you. Meanwhile, ask how you can be of service to your employer and make the most of your present work.
Someone said, "Your circumstances may be uncongenial, but they shall not long remain so if you perceive an ideal and strive to reach it. You cannot travel within and stand still without. Dare to be a spiritual architect and build pictures of larger good."
Feel and visualize success right in the midst of dissatisfaction. Know that this or better will come to you when you are ready!
The definition of "Work" brings up different things to people. If you love your job, feel you were called to your profession, or find that your work gives you a channel for your talents and abilities, you view 'work as a blessing and a joy. You can't wait to get up in the morning and get started. But if these things are not true for you - if you dread Monday mornings, if you feel your are being held back by a difficult boss or conniving co-workers, you are unhappy and consider your work a curse.
For those of you in the first category - congratulations. You are among the lucky ones who have found your path. You are living your dreams or at least you're on your way.
For others, you are where you are for a purpose. And in spite of all the hard work you're doing that should be giving you satisfaction, you may be your own worst enemy. Are you someone who is neutralizing your own success by failure talk, by association with failure-minded people, and by criticism and condemnation of others who ARE moving up the ladder of success? Turns out, it's easier to spend time speaking in critical terms about work, associates, even the world in general than to do something positive to change it. Pointing fingers may be temporarily satisfying but in the long run it only brings you down more and wastes valuable energy that could be applied to changing your situation.
All transition comes from both an inner and an outer working. The inner working is to realize that you are where you are now for a purpose. We get seemingly stuck in situations to do one of two things:
1. Learn from the situation
2. Give or forgive something in the situation or to an individual in the situation
You can ask yourself "What am I to learn here in my present job?" If it seems like you've "been here before" in terms of yet another difficult boss, yet another conflict with co-workers, yet another situation where you seem to work harder than everyone else - it's true. You are re-creating the same situation over and over again just in different jobs. Why? Because there is inner and outer work to be done by you.
You must pass through this before anything will change. It's often hard to see that. People say, "How can that be? I've done everything I possibly can to deal with these crazy people! It's them, not me...." And you may be right. But the fact that it keeps happening means something.
I challenge you to look harder at what you're missing. Is it something about personal relations? Are there skills you could learning but have been resistant to? Is it discipline you need to learn? Or are you withholding something from the situation? Do you have a skill that could help your employer? Do you need to forgive and forget something between you and another coworker? Be open to this. It's hard when you feel strongly justified in your negativity, but your situation won't budge until you solve this. Your choice - negativity or staying stuck?
Instead, use this current opportunity to discipline your attitudes and reactions to work. Because until you master this situation, you won't move up or out. That's the inner work.
The outer work involves doing something. If you are not satisfied with your present situation, what are you doing to prepare yourself for a better position? Are you willing to take courses at night or on the weekends? Are you willing to be brutally honest about your skills and abilities and make improvements? Are you prepared to engage in constructive activities that help you move up and out, rather than wallowing in criticism, condemnation, and complaining?
Start right where you are now. That new opportunity will open once you have gained all the knowledge and discipline the old work has to offer you. Meanwhile, ask how you can be of service to your employer and make the most of your present work.
Someone said, "Your circumstances may be uncongenial, but they shall not long remain so if you perceive an ideal and strive to reach it. You cannot travel within and stand still without. Dare to be a spiritual architect and build pictures of larger good."
Feel and visualize success right in the midst of dissatisfaction. Know that this or better will come to you when you are ready!
