In my professional circle, there
has been a lot of discussion lately around the topic of career satisfaction; this mainly comes down to an argument between the people who think we should
each find our passion and let that drive our careers, and the people who say
'work is work' and it is not meant to be enjoyed.
The careers people on the
'passion' side argue that we spend more of our lives at work than in any other
area, so we might as well love what we do. These are the people who usually
believe we are put on the earth for a purpose, and it is our duty to work out
what this is. If we don't do this duty to ourselves, we are more likely to
become stressed and ill - physically and mentally. There have been many books
devoted to this subject, some from career practitioners but many from the life
coaching, motivational speakers/writers, and the self-help industry as well.
Some people (myself included)
have found this argument persuasive; although I didn't actually read it in a
book, it was more a matter of listening to that small voice inside me that
gradually grew bigger and more all-pervasive. There is an element of liberation
in following one's passion, of 'treading one's own path' (thanks Barefoot
Investor!), but it can also be hard work (mainly in trying to keep a roof over
your head and food on the table while carving new territory), so it is no
surprise that many people have preferred to view work as something that must be
endured..
The most pervasive argument for
work as something to be endured is a transactional one. There are only so many
jobs in the world - what would happen to society if everyone just did what they
wanted? Who would collect the garbage, hold the 'Stop' and 'Slow' road signs up
in all weathers while work is being done? Who would clean the public toilets?
(oh, wait - we have technology for all those things now).
Whether or not the transactional
argument is true, most of the reasons relate back to our society, how we want
to live and what we are prioritising. As a society, we value wealth, material
possessions and competition over family, community and equality. This is a
harsh truth that cannot be disputed. We like money and the type of freedom it
brings. Thanks to the scaremongering going on in political circles and the
superannuation industry, we now believe that we are going to live a long time
and we are going to need lots of money to do it - we'd better store it away now
or we will be living on the streets, old and incontinent, with no one to look
after us. Short of winning the lottery or becoming a game show champion, we can
only do this one way - by working hard and getting lots of money so we can
store it away till later. Yes it is true - the Protestant Work Ethic is alive
and well!
I propose a rethink on both these
extremes. It is about balance. It involves following our hearts/intuition/gut
feel to an extent while paying attention to opportunities. Getting locked into
one, unsupported but possibly romantic, fixed idea is fraught with
dangers.
To avoid the tragedy that comes
from a life devoid of any sense of purpose, the first thing to do is to get in
touch with who you are and what you want RIGHT NOW! It's really not
hard - you just need some space and time so you can think clearly. Write down
some key points; draw a picture, talk to a non-judgemental friend over coffee.
The job market is constantly
shifting, so it is really hard to make long-term plans. Also, over the
course of our lives, as we grow and change (along with our priorities) we need
to adopt a 'fluid' approach to our careers rather than the fixed one that many
of us still buy into. I am amazed when I hear well-meaning adults still saying
things to young people like 'Do this or that course and you will be set up for
life', or 'Go to uni and get a law/medicine degree first, then when you
are earning good money you can do a bit of art on the side.' You can pretty
well guarantee that the young person in question will have killed off any
artistic talent well before the end of his/her course, and do you know how many
hours young lawyers and doctors work? These are definitely not just jobs 'to
do', they involve a great deal of attention and many sacrifices - they are
important jobs for those who have the heart to do them well.
If you are a young person reading
this, remember, you have all the time in the world to make your career
something fantastic! Don't jump into the first thing you think of, and
especially do not do a course just because you got the marks to do it! That
is the first bad mistake that is easily avoided. Give passion a little bit of a
chance to have its say as well as all those other, boring messages you keep
hearing from those who want to lock you up in a job title for the rest of your
life. As financial advisor Scott Pape so wisely says, 'Tread your own path'
(But I did say it first, many years ago now).
If you are an older person who is
in a new career stage, remember - your career has been building all your life,
whether you have been in work or not. It is a continuum, and your past has
relevance - even though it might feel like it. You have a wealth of experience,
skills, successes and failures who have made you who you are. Use this as an
opportunity rather than a threat and you will be energised rather than
encumbered by change.
My next blog will be about how to
be over 50 and attractive to employers. Yes it is possible!
