First, there has to be
a you, and then there is your job. Similarly, as a parent,
although you are responsible for the development of your child,
you are still you. The previous chapters have helped you look at
that being who is you; this chapter takes it one step further in
helping bring that inner self to the workplace. The most
important aspect in doing that is congruency -- striving to
match your inner self with your outer self and creating harmony
between your heart and your head. When we look at the outer
world, we don't see the world as it is; we see it only as we are
at that moment. Yes, you're going to have to work, but if you
can see that when you change your beliefs, you change the world
around you, the chances of your creating congruency increase
exponentially.
Here's a simple way to think about changing your beliefs and
how doing so changes the world around you. Have you ever bought
a car and then suddenly noticed how many cars the same as the
model you bought are on the road? It's a pretty common reaction.
But there aren't really any more of those cars on the road
(except yours): what has changed is your awareness of that
particular make and model of car. By purchasing the car that you
did, you changed your vested interest in the car, and you
brought a new level of attention to it, thereby changing your
view and belief about that car.
The discussion of work in this chapter is divided into seven
sections:
- Why work?
- What are you "supposed" to do?
- What are you doing?
- You are going to have to struggle.
- You
are going to have to develop discipline.
- Success isn't easy or
self-sustainable.
- Are you going to be the CEO?
These sections
cover work from the inside (how do you approach work) to the
outside (what does your work have to do with you).
Why Work?
When you sit down and think about your life, think about
this: the question is not what or why, but how are you going to
live? Work is an integral part of how you're going to live and
how you are going to be in the world. A fulfilling life is
passion driven and a big part of that life derives from the work
that you do. It doesn't matter what the work is. What matters is
the passion that you have behind it and that you put into it.
The same applies for the rest of your life.
Each one of us has a reason for being and a contribution to
make; why not strive to make these more than financial survival?
Yes, finances are important, but if you work at a job that just
pays the bills without providing an outlet for your passion,
then the ultimate cost to you is far more than the bills that
might be due. The cost is compromising and stifling your
creative intellect and wasting your time -- a whole lot of it.
Know that you can be in control, at the helm of your own
destiny, by the decisions you make in all aspects of your life
-- especially regarding the work that you choose to do and how
you choose to do it. Remember that everything counts: you will
be at your happiest when you are expressing your essential
nature and creating your mark on the world through the work that
you do.
Do you always seem to have a "bad boss" or "never get a
break" at work? It may have something to do with what you are
presenting to the world. Your outer working life has to reflect
your inner organization. Make sure that you have your personal
values and ethos in order, and then take them to the workplace.
The reality is that there are no bad bosses, and there are no
bad breaks. And there are no victims -- unless you choose to
become one. Stop! Take a moment to re-read this paragraph. It's
easy enough to read, but really understanding the content can
take a lifetime. Give yourself an advantage and contemplate it
now: what you bring to your work makes all the difference.
What Are You Supposed to Do?
Each of us has our own specific "true calling" -- an answer
to the question, "What am I supposed to do?" At the most
fundamental level, we each need to feel like we are doing
something worthwhile and that we are making a positive
contribution to the planet. We need to be able to leave work at
the end of the day, feeling tired yet energized because we've
done something that matters and that our work outside the home
has meaning.
How do you figure out who you are, what your place in the
world is, and what you're "supposed" to do? If you grew up in a
supportive family, you were told that you could be anything you
set your mind to. That's a lovely message, but it's pretty
nonspecific. If you grew up in a household with less support,
non-specificity is the least of your problems.
Figuring out what you're supposed to do is actually simpler
than you think: do what brings you joy. Stop! Think about that
right now. If there were no negative consequences -- financial
or otherwise -- what do you see yourself doing for work that
would bring you joy? Is it possible for you to be doing that
"thing" at this moment in your life? Perhaps not, but you've
taken one important step in getting to that "thing" by
identifying it to begin with. You can begin the process of
getting there right now.
Is it easier said than done? Sure, but if you pay attention,
your intuition will guide you. Sometimes it's tricky to
differentiate between the voice of your ego and the voice of
your soul. The voice of your ego is the one that tells you what
you "should" be doing, based mostly on voices and opinions that
you have heard and continue to hear from the outside world. This
is not a helpful voice. The voice of the soul is the one that
will keep gently drawing you to the things you love. When you
follow your heart's desire and listen to your intuition, work
turns into pleasure. Will it always be this way? Probably not,
which is why paying attention -- being present, quiet, and calm
-- is also imperative in your work life. What you're sure you
should be doing at this stage of your life might end up being
what you need to be getting away from five years from now. Times
change, and people change. Getting quiet not only helps you find
your self, it also helps you find your right place for the right
time, by trusting your own inner voice.
What Are You Doing?
As you're contemplating what you're supposed to be doing,
also ask yourself this question: "What am I doing with my life
now?" It is certainly a pretty big question, and it's one that
you have to pause and ask yourself often. Time, that old enemy,
is moving on, and if you don't stop and ask the really tough
questions, you'll find yourself very old and very upset that
you've spent your time doing "work" that you didn't want to do.
When was the last time you woke up in the morning and were
really excited about the work that you're about to do? Take a
moment to really think about that question. Was it this morning?
Yesterday morning? Maybe it wasn't even last week or last month.
If it was last year, then it's past time to take a hard look at
what you're doing. And read on.
If the work that you do is diminishing your ability to live
an abundant life rather than adding to it, it is time to make a
change. By identifying your unique skills and talents, you can
discover the true meaning in your life and live more
authentically. You won't be able to do this if your work is
taking from, rather than adding to, your life.
If you're currently employed and wondering about why you're
there, ask yourself the following questions:
Is the work inspirational as well as perspirational? Are you
inspiring others? Are you leaving others in a better condition
than you found them? Are there people in the company that you
admire? Do you admire the company? If you weren't working there
and it was possible to avail yourself of your company's product
or service, would you? Is the work complementary to the rest of
your life? Is it using your abilities to develop greater
capacities? Is there a place for your beliefs and values? Are
your little idiosyncrasies welcomed, tolerated, or outright
shunned? Does it just plain feet right? If your answer to most
of these questions is no, then you need to take a long, hard
look at what you're doing. First, make your best effort to
change your own position, and even take a stab at improving the
culture around you. If you feel that you've done this to no
avail, you need to develop your exit plan. I'm not advocating
that you turn in your resignation tomorrow -- there are bills to
be paid and responsibilities to be met -- but for your own
well-being, you need to begin to work in the direction of
leaving your current work and finding something else that has
more meaning for you.
If you are a student in college or graduate school and you
feel that you're in a rut or have answered no to many of the
above questions, then you need to reevaluate your situation.
Again, start from a place of changing the current situation --
don't let "bail" be the default answer. Maybe the no answers
have to do with what you're doing when you're not in class, or
not studying. You're the best judge.
A degree is important, but if it comes at the cost of
boredom, then it's an expensive lesson, both financially and
spiritually. Perhaps you've chosen the wrong major; know that
it's never too late to right that wrong. Perhaps you're trying
too hard to graduate in X number of years and have overloaded
yourself with courses; that decision is another wrong that can
be righted. Maybe you're just burned out with school. Most
colleges make it pretty easy for you to either take a leave of
absence or to cut back on your course load. Take advantage of
that flexibility in any way you can.
If you're a parent who feels like you have stayed at home too
long, you have choices as well. How old are your children? Do
they need you 24/7 or is there a way that you can get out of the
house during part of the day to do something that challenges
your intellect a little more? For that matter, given the wide
range of possibilities on the Internet, you can take a course,
start a business, or be involved in something greater than
yourself from your home at any hour of the day -- even at
sporadic naptimes. You just have to make the commitment to do
it.
The questions "What am I doing?" is not a question that you
can ask yourself once in life and then be done. It is a question
that you should ask yourself often -- maybe daily. It's far too
easy to get stuck in a situation where you are comfortable,
where asking any question, especially, "What am I doing?"
involves way too much risk. Well, know this: the risk, the
penalty, for not asking the question often enough is far greater
than the reward for ignoring the question. If work is indeed the
portal to the rest of your life, and the way you can bring out
your unique qualities, then you need to ask the questions to
ensure that you are being and doing the best that you can. If a
path feels like a struggle, is part of the struggle because it's
not the right path for you? This is not to say that the path
will be easy, but if the obstacles come from within, they may be
telling you something you need to pay attention to.
And finally, one of the ways to find out what you "should" be
doing is to discover what you shouldn't be doing. I suppose this
is code for get a job! One way to find out what you like is to
discover what you don't like, so don't be dismissive of jobs
that you don't think you're going to like. And be careful of
becoming a "professional student." Several members of my
advisory board indicated that they were going to school because
they hadn't figured out what they wanted to do with their lives.
An undergraduate degree is important, but unless you know what
you want to do with a degree beyond that, be careful. School is
very expensive and very time-consuming; some breathing room and
exposure to the working world after so many years in school is
probably a good thing.
The above is an excerpt from the book Luck by Design: Certain
Success in an Uncertain World by Richard E. Goldman. The above
excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print.
Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may
appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished
book for accuracy. Copyright © 2009 Richard E. Goldman, author
of Luck by Design: Certain Success in an Uncertain World
Author
Bio
Richard E. Goldman, author of Luck by Design: Certain
Success in an Uncertain World, started working on the sales
floor of a small clothing store, it had annual sales of only a
few hundred thousand dollars. Over the years he helped grow that
one store into the emerging and now omnipresent Men's Wearhouse.
By the time Goldman retired early in 2002, there were 680 Men's
Wearhouse-affiliated stores across the United States and Canada,
the business was known nationally and internationally, and had
annual sales in excess of $1.27 billion.
Widely recognized as the marketing mastermind behind the
success of Men's Wearhouse, Goldman has also been a quiet force
in business, education, and volunteerism. His luck -- luck that
he has actively created -- has expanded his life in ways and
directions well beyond anything he might have imagined as a
child in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, or later, as he began
contemplating the larger world and his future in it.
To learn still more about Luck by Design, how you can
incorporate luck into your future, and to share your own "lucky"
experiences, visit
www.richiegoldman.com .
Une 2009
