Whether you work in nursing, finance, or teaching, expecting your job to bring you fulfillment isn't always the best way to go about it. Read on to learn why you should instead strive to start a business of your own or cultivate hobbies outside of work.
Expecting your job to fill a void in your life is a surefire prescription for trouble. Why? From tyrannical bosses and untrustworthy co-workers to red tape that utterly stifles creativity, there’s simply too much going on at our jobs that is beyond our control. And when there’s too much beyond your control, it’s hard to fulfill your goals and make as big an impact as you desire. This is precisely what prompts many of us to hop from one job to another in search of conditions that are better aligned with our goals. Still, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
I currently work as a writer in the travel industry. (That’s my day job; I also write articles for websites and maintain this blog.) You would think I’d have the leeway to propose suggestions for improving the content in our corporate materials. But nope – the higher-ups are resistant to change and would rather disseminate the same pieces to our member base that have been going out for some 20 years. On top of that, any new content has to go through the legal department and is usually watered down immensely.
As a writer, I can’t stand being told what to write and how to write it. That’s why I knew I had to find an outlet on the side that affords me the flexibility to write freely – and this medium fits that purpose nicely. The second you make your happiness contingent upon the job you hold in Corporate America, you’re putting yourself on the path to disappointment. Sure, I’ll likely find a full-time job in the near future that will embrace creativity, but there’s nothing like being in the driver’s seat yourself.
I never quite grasped why so many people are driven to start their own businesses until I spent a few years working in Corporate America myself. The bottom line is that you may support a company’s mission, love its products, or even see yourself among the top brass one day, but it’s unlikely that the company will ever be yours. Someone else founded the firm, and it’s the shareholders who truly call the shots. The second the stock takes a nosedive, you might find yourself being sacked as part of a massive restructuring effort.
Studies show that people who rely on their jobs to be happy have lower self-esteem – except when those jobs aim to help others (e.g. charities, nursing, and vets). In other words, if you think making loads of money in a plum corporate job is going to keep you happy over the long haul, think again.
If you’re not finding fulfillment in your job these days, don’t despair. Consider starting up your own business on the side. If you’re an aspiring cook, why not bake a few cakes and try selling them to your neighbors as a start? If you’re a teacher but are yearning for more one-to-one time with children – something your regular classroom routine would not allow you to do – you can consider opening your own tutoring service.
And if starting your own business doesn’t strike your fancy, no one says you can’t cultivate hobbies. For example, I am as obsessed with music as they come, but that doesn’t mean I intend to start up my own record company. Your job doesn’t have to involve those things you enjoy doing the most, even though it’d be nice if we could all find what I like to call jobbies – jobs that are similar to or involve our favorite hobbies.
Another thing to remember is that we won’t be working at our jobs forever. Sooner or later, we all hope to retire and have a couple of years to do things we couldn’t do while holed up in the office – whether it’s collect coins, write fiction stories, or visit museums.
So go ahead -- take control of your life and make it what you want it to be. Don’t depend on the corporate world to make you happy! When it comes to your career, sometimes you just have to take a different route in order to get to your destination.
Expecting your job to fill a void in your life is a surefire prescription for trouble. Why? From tyrannical bosses and untrustworthy co-workers to red tape that utterly stifles creativity, there’s simply too much going on at our jobs that is beyond our control. And when there’s too much beyond your control, it’s hard to fulfill your goals and make as big an impact as you desire. This is precisely what prompts many of us to hop from one job to another in search of conditions that are better aligned with our goals. Still, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
I currently work as a writer in the travel industry. (That’s my day job; I also write articles for websites and maintain this blog.) You would think I’d have the leeway to propose suggestions for improving the content in our corporate materials. But nope – the higher-ups are resistant to change and would rather disseminate the same pieces to our member base that have been going out for some 20 years. On top of that, any new content has to go through the legal department and is usually watered down immensely.
As a writer, I can’t stand being told what to write and how to write it. That’s why I knew I had to find an outlet on the side that affords me the flexibility to write freely – and this medium fits that purpose nicely. The second you make your happiness contingent upon the job you hold in Corporate America, you’re putting yourself on the path to disappointment. Sure, I’ll likely find a full-time job in the near future that will embrace creativity, but there’s nothing like being in the driver’s seat yourself.
I never quite grasped why so many people are driven to start their own businesses until I spent a few years working in Corporate America myself. The bottom line is that you may support a company’s mission, love its products, or even see yourself among the top brass one day, but it’s unlikely that the company will ever be yours. Someone else founded the firm, and it’s the shareholders who truly call the shots. The second the stock takes a nosedive, you might find yourself being sacked as part of a massive restructuring effort.
Studies show that people who rely on their jobs to be happy have lower self-esteem – except when those jobs aim to help others (e.g. charities, nursing, and vets). In other words, if you think making loads of money in a plum corporate job is going to keep you happy over the long haul, think again.
If you’re not finding fulfillment in your job these days, don’t despair. Consider starting up your own business on the side. If you’re an aspiring cook, why not bake a few cakes and try selling them to your neighbors as a start? If you’re a teacher but are yearning for more one-to-one time with children – something your regular classroom routine would not allow you to do – you can consider opening your own tutoring service.
And if starting your own business doesn’t strike your fancy, no one says you can’t cultivate hobbies. For example, I am as obsessed with music as they come, but that doesn’t mean I intend to start up my own record company. Your job doesn’t have to involve those things you enjoy doing the most, even though it’d be nice if we could all find what I like to call jobbies – jobs that are similar to or involve our favorite hobbies.
Another thing to remember is that we won’t be working at our jobs forever. Sooner or later, we all hope to retire and have a couple of years to do things we couldn’t do while holed up in the office – whether it’s collect coins, write fiction stories, or visit museums.
So go ahead -- take control of your life and make it what you want it to be. Don’t depend on the corporate world to make you happy! When it comes to your career, sometimes you just have to take a different route in order to get to your destination.
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