Wednesday, October 11, 2006

New Thinking and the 1st October CONTEST!!!

Have you ever just felt like time is rushing right past you? You stop to figure out where to go next and the years sneak past. I have felt that way on and off for the past year, well maybe the past decade. It might be because I will be turning 30 next year. It might be because I have had 5 jobs since this year began. It really doesn’t make much difference why I feel this way the point is that life goes on no matter what you decide to do. I moved to a new state to get a new life. Instead I learned a lesson or two.

What I learned this last year could probably feel a book but I just want to focus on one lesson: Jobs. There is no such thing as the always perfect job. No one can be happy and fulfilled by their job all the time. Even if they are doing what they always there can be several detractors. Coworkers can make life hard, supervisors can make you crazy, the job can be frustrating and tasks of the job can bite the big one. You are probably reading this right now thinking “This is a lesson you just learned?” What you are missing is the fact that my job hunt has always been driven by looking for that elusive perfect job. I have talked to plenty of people that have plugged away at a job that is extremely far from their ideal career and I always thought this person must have something in them that I am missing, I must be broken. In some respects that is true, I was missing something. What I was missing was motivation: Motivation to get me to work, motivation to continually perform well at my position and motivation to put in the time to make it all work. I also realized that I had no real idea how to find that motivation. I had no idea how to create the motivation to work hard and faithfully, besides making sure my rent was paid each month. Strangely bills have never really been that big of a motivator for me, which is kind of funny considering the responsible parents I sprang from. That was the case until just recently. I have found myself thinking a little differently, just a small change in my thinking about work. I find myself participating in training exercises more and I also find myself actually wanting to know things about the job. I am not relying on my ability to pick things up because I actually want to do a genuinely good job.

The thing is that I am not real sure what caused this change. I have made so many changes recently in addition to surviving 2 and a half extremely hard years. There are a lot of things that contributed to my attitude change. The reasons I see as definite contributors towards my new thinking are: wanting 1 stable job amidst a horrible and spotty job history, needing stable income to reinvent myself (this time for real), the ability to actually afford to do something with my design and writing dreams, needing a job that can support my newly enrolled scholastic pursuit and (most shockingly) actually seeing other things I want to try within the company I work for. I have a strange desire to learn new things and that has always been my basis for looking longingly at a new job in a completely new field. I never paid much attention to what the company could offer me besides what I was doing. Sure I said I was interested in opportunities in my interview but I was never serious. It just sounded like something that I should be saying, a thing they wanted to hear me say. This time I really want to get into other departments and figure out what they are all about. I feel really comfortable with what the new job is asking from me and I know that I need to keep my head in there and I figure since I need to do that anyway I might as well really make a go at the other internal opportunities that are open to me. That is a different feeling for me. I am sure people have heard me talk about other opportunities at other jobs I have held but this feels different. I want them to want me. I am now fighting singing the song by Cheap Trick right now.

I don’t know what else to say to paint a better and clearer picture for you. I guess I just need you to trust me and offer some support for this change in my thinking.

That being said I want to announce a contest for a NINJA SHREDZ sticker.

OCTOBER CONTEST #1

The rules are simple but a little more involved then last time. I want to hear from you about what motivates you to make it to work. Whether it be family obligations, paying for school, a mortgage or some other random reason. I want you to write a small essay style response. If you send me something with a little bit of thought behind this question and you are in the first ten responses you will be a winner. It’s that easy. Yep, there are ten chances to win.

(It is contest number one because if I get the ten responses before the month is over I have contest #2 already ready)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

good post man, i thought that your contest had something to do with your job pursuit. good luck with the new digs, and keep up the good work in school. honestly, having a goal to work toward makes all the difference in the world, and though it sounds cliche, no one else can give you that.

take care of yourself, and each other. sorry, i couldnt resist, too much drama in this string.

kevin

Anonymous said...

A combination of things motivate me to make it to work. The Non-commute is probably the #1 motivator; I can't fail at this job, my punishment would be driving again. Money, of course rivals the top spot. Second, would be Confidence that I can do the job, (which I couldn't maintain as a graphic designer). Another motivator is being Challenged; getting to try new marketing techniques and attempting to be a manager. Then there's the concept of a Routine, and finding the comfort and joy in it; interacting with co-workers, getting bagels, office drama. The m-f 8-5 is the routine, then the freedom of non-work time becomes precious. -MS

Unknown said...

-Kev I am glad to see Jerry Springer has worked his magic on you. I think posting your reply to me would be a good way to show people why you are the first recipient of the prize.

-MS Thanks for the entry. I think it is always good to find something that works for you and if this job you have is less stressful that is great. There are always reasons to keep showing up. You are the second person to get a prize!

Unknown said...

Posted from kevin's email to me:

you know i hate my job, i have for some time. sometimes i have to ask
myself how i get up every morning and make it, or why i want to be
back from break so often. hell, something must motivate me to get
there since i dont take my vacation time.

there is a couple of reasons. i will try to explain them as best as i
understand them. first, i am going to school, and they are helping me
by accomodating my school schedule. as much as i bitch about them,
that is something that is really cool, and i know i am lucky to have
that opportunity. very few companies are willing to do that. hell, i
went to a job fair AT THE COLLEGE and the companies there would not do
it. begs the question, what the hell were they expecting sending
invites to a bunch of sophmores and juniors. oh well, they must have
been liberal arts majors, not the sharpest tools in the box.

second, it has been stable in some ways. my retirement package looks
better and better every day, meaning someday i wont have to go to
work. it is long, long in the future, but that goal is being realized
slowly but surely, and it feels good to see that happening.

last, my job has afforded me the opportunity to pursue my many
interests in art, craft, education, and electronics. i am able to pay
for things, see if it is a hobby i will like in the long run, and if
not, put it in the corner without killing myself over spending a few
bucks. that is a nice feeling, because it allows me to experiment with
my interests. i dont think i would have found the interest in
photography that i have without this, and that is leading me to take
my family on trips on the premise of taking pics. of course, i spend
time with friends and family out of doors, and away from television
and in the sun, and that is not a bad thing. so, going to my job, on
time, and doing well there has many advantages.

the job itself is not exciting, but i found something about it that
is, and that helps me get there and stay focused. it is a means to
many ends, i guess is the most concise way to put it.

kevin

Unknown said...

This is from my mom and she is the next winner of the contest!


I put this on your blog but as usual, I'm not sure it transferred.
Happy Halloween
We are passing the Halloween trip today. We treated extra at the fair
Sunday and have a n exhausting week ahead.
Hey Michael,
The reason I work:
I decided to be a teacher when I observed a handicapped class room
literally next to the boiler room in my elementary school when I was in
5th grade.
There are many aspects of teaching that I enjoy. The most essential
is seeing students learn. At my new middle school post it is a lot
more difficult because the students have a different plan. They appear
to feel captured and want to amuse the crowd during their internment. I
have been looking at each pay check for enjoyment due to this change in
venue.
I feel a sense of purpose in evaluating students and determining a
remedial course of study for them, but feel that most remedial work
would be successful in a tutoring situation, shich is unrealistic in a
public school setting.
As a teacher, I have always loved the office supplies and teacher
gadgets. I like making money to be able to provide for myself and
others.
Going out to eat is also a benefit from having extra dollars the job
provides. I am looking forward to a semi retirement at some point to
allow for bicycling, hiking, reading and perusing cookbooks.
Mom