EMAIL# 243- 26TH NOVEMBER 2023- # ""THE MISCONCEPTION OF WORK"
The Misconception of Work.
When I was twenty-six, I gave up a job that I really enjoyed (Phys Ed Teacher) for a career that I love (Building houses).
Now I am trying to combine both into a calling (Teaching others what I know).
A job = working for material gain.
A career = working for personal advancement.
A calling = working to produce excellent products or services, while growing as an individual and contributing to the common good.
Last week I explored the notion that the pathway to fulfillment and happiness is not by achieving big goals or buying lots of stuff. It is only possible through sustained success.
It turns out that the only way to realise lasting happiness is to have a meaningful purpose to your work, or “a calling.” To this aim, we need to focus less on the destination/goals and more on finding purpose in our everyday work and in our career.
“God created work not as a punishment but instead as an invitation to participate in his creation.” Unknown
My “best days” at work are often when my Construction Manager has the day off. On those days I get to do “actual building work” and I go home feeling I have done meaningful productive work.
Unfortunately, for a lot of people work feels like punishment.
An alarming statistic is that only 1 in 4 workers in our society feel engaged in their work. It seems a lot of people struggle to see their work as contributing to the greater good. They do not feel that their work is meaningful or matters to other.
These un-engaged workers also fail to see how their work can help them to grow personally or to improve their skills or future prospects. Basically, they do not feel acknowledged or appreciated.
One of my favorite social commentators and authors Malcolm Gladwell stated, “To be happy and fulfilled, humans need two things, to feel connected to a community or family and to do meaningful productive work.”
It is probably not surprising to many of my readers, that in the next few years I’m planning to write a book about improving oneself and getting the most out of life. Writing a book has for a while been one of my main long-term goals. I know that achieving this goal will not be easy, but I am up for the challenge.
The motivation to write a book stem from my love of teaching and mentoring other people.
This is my purpose for researching and writing these weekly articles which greatly contributes to my ongoing happiness and fulfillment.
I am finding firsthand that doing productive meaningful work to the benefit of others is what life is all about.
“You must cultivate activities you love. You must discover what that you do, not for its utility, but for itself, weather it succeeds or not.” Anthony de Mello
Thanks for reading.
Stay safe and find meaning in what you do.
David
