Why are we so bent on hating our jobs? The fact is that very few people will say that they are happy in their current job. Why is that the case? Do we really hate the job that much?
I have never met anyone who always had a job doing the one thing that he/she loved doing. I have, however, met people who find ways to love every job that they have.
Why is it, then, that so few people have positive things to say about their jobs?
Here is one observation I have made in my own life and the lives of those around me, and I believe if we fix this one problem, we will all feel much better about where we spend 8 hours of our day.
Negative talk and thoughts are to blame for our negative perception of our jobs.
Humans naturally want to bond with the people around them. In the workplace, at school, at home. We need to feel connected to people. When we are with people we don't know, we look for ways to initiate conversation and start a friendship, even if it is just for the short ride on the bus or waiting in line at the grocery store. Unfortunately, the majority of us fall into the habit of focusing on the negative.
"It's so hot outside isn't it?"
"Yes its terrible!"
"This line is moving so slow!"
And in the workplace, its even worse. Think of the conversations you have with your coworkers on a daily basis.
"I hate Mondays!" or "I can't wait until the weekend" or "The boss is a jerk!"
We resort to these ways of talking because its easy conversation, and we begin to bond with those around us. I know this because I live it every day. It is so easy to fall into the trap of negative talk because we think its normal to hate your job. IT IS NOT NORMAL! You should not spend 40 or more hours a week in a place where you do not feel comfortable, appreciated, and valued.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, The Fire Within, I found myself at a point where I had to change jobs. I was miserable. It got to the point where there was more negative than positive in my life. If you feel that way, you should make a change!
On the other hand, I sincerely believe that most of us can enjoy the work we do if we change our habits of negativity. Our minds are gardens. Every thought is a seed that sprouts and influences our words and actions. Our words and actions change our environment. Therefore, when we see a problem in our environment, the first solution would be to change our thoughts. Cultivate only the good. Let the positive grow, weed out the negative.
Be master of your mind. Loving your job does not mean that you are happy all the time.
Tony Romo, a professional football player, was recently replaced as starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. In a press conference he stated that he still felt the fire for the game and the desire to play. Do you think he is having a good time right now? Of course he isn't! But he still loves what he does, and will do whatever it takes to be successful.
We will have bad days. We will fall. Grow tired. Fail on a project. Get sick. And any number of variables that will ruin a day. But if we cultivate the garden of our minds, and entertain only positive thoughts, give root to only good, then the negative will be short-lived and meaningless.
I encourage you to read "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen. It is an incredible insight into the influence of your thoughts on your entire life. My favorite quote so far (I haven't finished the reading yet) reads
"A man is literally what he thinks; his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts"
Allow only enough space in the garden of your mind for good. Your outlook on life will change the instant you adopt this practice. I can say that because it happens to me each time I choose the positive over the negative. It is a conscious effort, difficult, but well worth it.
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