You work hard. You come through in a pinch. Your co-workers and upper level management know you can be counted upon to do the right thing. So how come there is so little joy from your work?
This is not an experience unique to you. And this feeling is not restricted to people in large firms: the same experience is felt in medium and small shops as well. In fact the setting is immaterial, the same lack of joy from what we do can show up at home, or as a coach, or a volunteer. The issue is we sometimes look in all the wrong places for the validation which will bring us a sense of joy, a feeling of accomplishment, a feeling of being important.
The feeling we are seeking comes not from awards, exterior recognition or even our pay level. The real pay-off comes when we recognize we may indeed be working in someone else’s company, but we are always working for ourselves. We are always working towards realizing the truth that what we do has meaning. If we continue to seek outside affirmation of our meaning, it is unlikely we will ever get enough.
I invite you to do an honest inventory of what you do, why you do it, and then ask yourself what your pay-off is. There is certainly a pay-off to you from you about you which must follow any work. If you are bringing your A-Game give yourself a pat on the back, honor what you do, and honor that you do it like no one else could ever do. Once you have truly experienced this pay-off clearly, you will say to yourself “I Want More!”
