Do You Enjoy Your Work?
The older I get, the more I enjoy working. That’s not something I always believed. I figured a job was just a job, and it was only a way to pay the bills. A necessary evil, if you will.
But now I enjoy working. I like to see what I can accomplish. I work hard to improve my skills and do better (and more) than the year before. (2010 was no exception, and easily my most productive year yet.)
I also recognize that I’m lucky. I’m able to bring my Meaning to Work. I’m excited by the things I get to do. And sadly not everyone falls into that category. Although if I have my way, that would change!
Let’s get back to the main question: do you enjoy your work?
In a biography of John Calvin
When I read that, I had to stop and really think about the implications. John Calvin was no slouch. He shaped world history. His work ethic is renowned even today. It wasn’t until I read that excerpt that I began to realize that Calvin’s success was because he was willing to work hard and bring his faith (his meaning) to his work.
That combination allowed him to simply work harder than his opponents.
There was no great media strategy. No long hours invested in SWOT analysis or identifying Getting Things Done strategies. Calvin didn’t have a VP of Marketing, Production or a CEO to keep him motivated. He just worked harder than his opponents.
So the next time you’re facing an uphill battle at work, instead of giving up or complaining of office politics, why not take a page from John Calvin and just work harder.
photo provided by flickr user hashmil
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About Eric Barrett
Eric Barrett is an organizational consultant who specializes in applying psychology to communication. He has worked as an organizational psychologist for over a decade, and is most recently working on developing social media guidelines for a real estate company. He also teaches psychology at Xavier University. In his spare time he...wait, who are we kidding...he has no spare time.
He is available on a limited basis for speaking engagements and consulting projects. For more information please see the About Meaning to Work page.
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