February 18th, 2008 in Productivity

Job Satisfaction: Can You Love the One You’re With Before You Move On?

Have you ever noticed how jobs are like love affairs? You hit a bump in the road, even a patch of bumps, and there you are, climbing in bed with the statistics and making the livelihood you love all wrong. One day you wake up and say something like, “This job is just not giving me what I want; it’s not fun or challenging or collaborative anymore.” And you conjure an internal sneer when you think of your workspace, or your boss, or your co-workers. It just doesn’t measure up. People you work with just don’t get it. In fact, you don’t even like them at all. Your job has become an it, and your team has become a they.

From there you start calling your livelihood a career. Or maybe you’ve so fallen out of love you’ve started calling your career a job. Whatever the case, before you ditch your current source of sustenance, the one you once said was “a perfect fit, my ideal life,” consider these questions:

What if you are in charge of your experience?
What if you are responsible for bringing the fun and challenge and collaboration?
Can you give up being right in favor of creating fun, challenge and collaboration?
What might happen if you quit blaming others and refuse to play the victim?

Don’t get me wrong, there are jobs that will suck the marrow from your bones. We’ve all had them. And job security has become as laughable a phrase as job loyalty. But in terms of your own personal development, what If you turn your attention back toward yourself as if you were 100 percent capable and responsible for providing the juice and inspiration you crave. How might your experience be different?

To test your readiness to leave your current digs, and to illuminate a potential pattern you might not want to bring to your next adventure, try this out:

For one week, test your thinking with this “mirroring” exercise. Notice every criticism and judgment you have about your work or other people, and turn it around. Try it on and see how it fits.

Just a thought…

WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY

Lisa Gates

Lisa Gates is a life balance coach and writer at Craving Balance. Committed to helping smart working women achieve the everyday extraordinary and the extraordinary every day, Craving Balance offers goal setting from the inside out teleclasses and workshops for individuals and businesses, as well as fabulously sensible and affordable private coaching. Find her at Craving Balance.

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Orlando says on February 18th, 2008 at 8:11 pm

You mention a lot of ‘what if’ questions. Here are a few … What if your department illegally uses priated software? What if your organization promotes those who are less qualified over others because they are drinking buddies? What if some people overhear that your manager wants to get rid of you? What if your supervisor continually “forgets” to turn in your mileage report dispite your constant reminders? What if you instruct your supervisor how to fill out paperwork so that you can get a $1,500 bonus for graduating with a Masters Degree – and he still forgets?

Some may think that this Supervisor has a memory problem. But what if you ask this same Supervisor the name of an obsure software program and he tells you off the top of his head? Memory problem alright! Selective memory problem that has cost me over $1,800!

That doesn’t include overloading a person in the ‘age protect’ class with physical labor and calling it “an opportunity” while others half the age sit on their behinds.

This employer is morally corrupt, unethical, and devious on all levels. If it wasn’t for the poor economy being a factor, MORE people would be jumping ship! And dispite that we still have a high turnover rate. They are a den of snakes!
Lisa Gates says on February 18th, 2008 at 8:56 pm

Orlando, a seemingly tight spot you’re in to be sure.

If you have a boss who is doing all those things you mention, not to mention it sounds like it’s driving you crazy, what’s your choice here? (And yes, you do have a choice.)

1. Stay and say/do nothing, you’re a victim.
2. Stay and bring his actions to light, you risk getting fired (good job and thank you Norma Rae).
3. Leave the job.
4. Leave the job and blow the whistle.
5. Find a new job, leave, blow the whistle, etc.

The possibilities are numerous, but in every case except #1 you’re in charge.

Wishing you well, Orlando.
Stephen Martile says on February 19th, 2008 at 9:01 am

Very nice Lisa.

I was judging your article from the very beginning to see if it ’sized up’ to my expectations. After reading your article I’m impressed and inspired not so much because of you but because of what I see inside of me.

Thanks for the reminder,

Stephen Martile
Personal Development Made Simple
http://www.stephenmartile.com
Lisa Gates says on February 19th, 2008 at 11:33 am

Stephen…thank you (I think). It’s a tough pill to swallow at first, isn’t it? If you can’t point a finger at someone else, it becomes very clear what your choices are…
Rosalyn says on June 28th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

I really believe that the first step to making a change is acceptance. It feels counter-intuitive at first – and it works!

Weight loss gurus tell us that hating one’s body does not lead to motivation to eat less. Why would it?

Make friends with your career in order to change it.

http://www.rosalynclare-coaching.co.uk
braga says on December 18th, 2008 at 4:29 pm

http://bragadeesh.blogspot.com.....sfied.html