If you are going to be a project manager, office manager, admin, inspector, mechanic, operator, welder, foreman, superintendent, engineer, waitress, construction manager, chief inspector, laborer, manager, company president or vice-president, teacher, CEO, business owner, cook, or whatever you choose to do, make sure you live it, own it, and desire it! If you do not, know that you will eventually suck at your job sooner or later and that is a fact. Your lack of pride in your work, dislike for the position, and “acting” like you love what you do will cause you problems in all areas of your life mentally and physically. And for those of us who can read people easily, we can see right through a person who is working in a position he or she does not want to be in.
So, you need a job because you need the money. I get it. We all are in or had jobs that were not what we wanted to make a career in because we needed to pay bills. However, have you ever sat and thought about those positions you had I mean really put some thought into it? I will bet more times than not that you learned more than you realize from those positions and to this day that knowledge contributes to the position you currently hold today. I am willing to go out on a limb and throw out there that all those jobs you had in the past had some degree of influence on the kind of person and worker you are today. I recognize that the influence could have been good or bad. If it is the latter then you have some soul searching to do to correct that if it affects your performance. However, learning good and bad, successes, and failures all contribute in positive ways. I do not think you know how much impact your past work experiences had and the value you gleaned from them, making you who you are today.
I was taught at an incredibly young age what work was and what you were expected to do when you had a J O B. My dad would always tell me no matter what I was asked to do I should perform the task better than anyone had before. I had a lot of shovel-type positions in my younger years and my dad instructed me to be the best and quickest shovel operator my boss ever saw. I strived to do that every time I picked up a shovel. Throughout my years of construction work, I kept the thought in the back of my mind that I would be the best and fastest at whatever I was assigned to do. As I got a little older I learned that paying attention to others I worked with gave me additional knowledge to work my way up into other positions like welder’s helper, lead laborer, foreman, superintendent, estimator, contractor project management, compression operator, etc. before eventually breaking out into inspection and working my way up to chief inspector and construction manager. In between my oil and gas positions I held a position working at an FBO (Fixed Base Operator) refueling planes and spent nearly 5 years in law enforcement.
Today, having made a career in the oil and gas industry, I know without a doubt that had I not been exposed to all those other types of work I would not be the worker that I am today. I was fortunate enough to realize that no matter what I was doing there was value in it. I even tried sales (which I did not like) and even that position taught me a lot about interacting with people. My past work experiences molded me into what I am today, both on a personal and professional level. And still to this day I draw from some of those experiences to resolve issues or make decisions that I am confronted with.
There is a high percentage of people who dislike their career choices. Most were conditioned by someone who said they had to make money, buy two cars, a home, get married, have 2.3 kids, get one dog and one cat, live paycheck to paycheck (because that is the American way), struggle to have enough money for Christmas gifts, struggle to have enough money for doctor’s visits, car, and house repairs, struggle to save enough money for a night out on the weekend, and stay in a profession that they hate for 25+ years and then die. There is a small percentage of people who did it right but most of us have not. So, where do we go from here? We go the direction we enjoy! The path that is paved with our passion and desires. Why? Because that is the place you will be the happiest. Here is the cool thing about this, anyone at any age can make the change and do what they have a deep desire to do. The only thing that is holding you back is YOU. I disregard any excuses anyone has for not being able to chase what they desire to do because they are excuses not to make the change and put in the effort.
If you are in the profession that makes you happy but does not like the current position you hold, why don’t you have some patience and a little bit of common sense and look at where you are at. What can you glean from the current position that will make you even better and happier when you make that next step? If you are seeking supervision or management positions, why are you not learning everything about the positions you will be managing? I have seen firsthand that many supervisors, managers, project managers, directors, etc. have failed to learn the functions of the departments or personnel they are managing. Yes, there are other positions in place to bridge these departments together, but I have seen many “holes” in these bridges creating a disconnect to the flow of information resulting in subpar results having a direct impact on the company’s goal(s). Too many upper supervision and management positions have forgotten where they came from, do not care to roll their sleeves up, grab their sack lunch and hardhat, and hit the field for a period of time and actually experience what those that he or she manages endures to reach a successful outcome.
If you are in a position that is part of the journey towards reaching your level of happiness, then why are you not learning everything about it before you are promoted onward? You must realize the value in every job or position you have before you reach your level of happiness in the workplace. Stop complaining and search out the knowledge that will better you in the long run. Leave your ego, self-centeredness, and “better than” attitude at home and come to work with kindness, empathy, and the desire to learn! You will be amazed at the results and if you do not forget where you came from and endured to get to where you are at, you will be a value to everyone in your life! Does happiness lead to success? Only you can answer that question!
Take care and be safe!
No comments:
Post a Comment