The advice I would give is to find out what you enjoyed doing when you were younger when playing. Did you enjoy being in the school plays? What about playing a musical instrument? If you can find a job with something you enjoy you are bound to do better and succeed. There has, however, have to be a compromise along the way. Afterall, even being an actor has downsides such as endless auditions, learning lines etc..

Caz

Small Business Consultant
http://www.motorcare-woking.co.uk/
http://www.araarchitects.co.uk/

I just have to agree with you and commend you for your spot on interpretation of this post. I finished and went…”ok, yeah, but how?”

I really hate this idea that “happiness” just comes from a stork landing on your doorstep. That’s NOT how it works, and happiness really is something within, not something that lies outside in our perfect career or life. Anyway, I loved your comment. SERIOUS REALITY CHECK NEEDED.

Reading this article ten years ago, I would have agreed wholeheartedly. Reading it now, I’m fully aware that the employee does not have total control over their work circumstances, anything but these days.

The sentiments in your post ring true, but before blaming the job or career for being unhappy, it is wise to assess life in general – what is working, what isn’t? And is the job really the issue?

Thank you for the post.
– Razwana

I know that’s not the best way to think of things, which I try not to think that way most of the time, but I do remind myself that this is my one life and I should do mostly what makes me happy. I should live my life on my terms. Understanding that materialistic things only make me happy in the short term and instead buying or just doing things that are experiences with myself or with others will make this life more worthwhile.

I use the phrase, “Are you REALLY Living?” to help guide me in choices that I make. It simply means are the choices I am going to make helping live a great life or just exist in life. I choose to live and not just exist.

Societal norms, especially in the U.S. tell us that we need to go to school, get a good paying job, get a house, buy a car, etc. but that isn’t what makes us LIVE. Those things that a lot of us dream about while sitting at our desks bored are the things we should be doing and taking the risk to figure out how to do them and possibly get paid doing them would be more beneficial than reflecting back on a miserable life of shoulda, woulda, coulda’s.

I, too, am prepared for amazing things to happen because I deserve it.

That said, something about the sentiments in this article made me cringe. And I’m a career coach who helps people do exactly what you’re saying- move from jobs they hate to work they love!

Here are a few implications I’m getting from this article that I disagree with.
1) It’s not okay to quietly endure things that make us unhappy.

I think that people should work to set up their lives and careers in a way that suits them, but there are going to be times when compromise is necessary to get what we want. In those instances, yes, we’ll put up with what we don’t like, and it’s okay to do so.

2) Happiness lies outside of ourselves in some perfect career.

There are definitely jobs out there that are better or worse fits for us, and finding a good fit does make a difference in the caliber of our days. But holding out for perfection? Talk about giving away all your power. Happiness resides within us and in the way we choose to perceive our circumstances. Believing there’s some perfect career out there that will swoop in and save us will lead to loads of disappointment and frustration.

3) We should not settle for anything less (than exactly what we want).

I think we would all love to be Nobel peace prize winning millionaires who still have plenty of free time for our hot air balloon hobby. But I also think at some point, as we grow up, most of us realize that we are going to lead pretty ordinary lives, hopefully making a bit of a difference in our little corner of the world. There is definitely a settling of expectations that occurs, and that’s a good thing.

4) People should be happy with their jobs all the time.

There are going to be good days and bad days in any field, in any company, anyplace in the world. Even in a career you love.

5) It was true when we were told “we can achieve anything we want”.

You can’t achieve anything you want. You can achieve maybe a few things when you’re connected to people who will help you, an understanding of what you need to do, and a lot of persistence to get it done.

6) You deserve to love your job.

I would change this entire sentence from the passive and entitled ‘You deserve to love your job’ to ‘You can set a goal, work day after day, make sacrifices, and eventually build a career around something you care about. It won’t always be easy, and there will be times when you want to give up. Hang in there.’

Overall, I love the ideals you presented here. I just think they need to be tempered with a bit of a reality check. Hopping off my soapbox!