I heard someone say recently, and I quote, “my job is no fun. I literally have the worst job in the world.”
Now we can almost all assume that by reading the above line, and not even knowing exactly what that person’s job is, or who that person is, they don’t really have the worst job in the world.
I know from when I used to watch TV and would occasionally catch an episode of “Dirty Jobs,” that there are far worse jobs, and far less fun jobs, out there.
Unless, of course, this girl was really an Alaskan crab fisherman on break in Ontario? I might have missed that part.
Here’s my take on it.
If your job isn’t fun, you must quit.
I’m not talking about singing and dancing in the workplace type of fun. I’m talking about “making a difference – making a contribution” type of fun.
Deep down, you do actually know the type of fun I’m referring to.
The type of fun when you finish a job and actually get something out the door.
The type of fun you experience, because of the autonomy, you get to make your own decisions.
The type of fun you experience is when you see a problem and find the solution.
In the variety of stuff I’ve been reading lately, there’s a clear lesson repeated over, and over, and over again.
It’s that the extrinsic rewards that might come from a “job well done,” such as more cash, or a bigger bonus, aren’t really what you’re really looking for. It’s not really what’s motivating you.
Admit it.
The problem is, you have to keep slugging away because you have bills to pay, credit card debt, and stuff to buy.
Bummer. Because if you could get rid of the stuff that’s forcing you to keep on slugging, you might be able to find a job that’s actually fun.
And if you can’t find that job, you could create one.
As much as you want to believe that more cash and more money might be what you’re looking for, you’re most likely fooling yourself.
Stuff as a motivator is short-term. It’ll get you through life though, but you’ll always be missing something.
Now don’t get me wrong. I LOVE new toys just as much as the next guy, but if you’re telling people you’ve got the worst job in the world, it might be time to start looking at what’s really keeping you there.
Just saying…
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Thanks, Noah
