My college friend Susan went through a stretch where she couldn't stand her job, and she had this saying, "That's why they have to pay you. If it was fun, you'd do it for free." I'd nod and egg her on. We've certainly all had our bad days. Some of us have had bad months and even bad years.
After immersing myself in the research for my new book, "The Difference," however, I think both Susan and I were wrong. We are paid for our jobs because what we do is of value. However, that doesn't mean our work can't be fun, stimulating, energizing or satisfying.
I believe that people who are passionate about what they do reach financial comfort and wealth more often than those who are not. This presents us with two options: Finding your passion and pursuing it or becoming passionate about what you're already pursuing.
In a troubling economy like this one, the latter option may be wiser, but let's take a look at the first option.
How To Do What You Love
The first step is to identify those passions that may be on your list and those that most definitely are not. Asking yourself these following questions can help you figure that out.
1) If money were not an issue, what would you be doing with your life?
2) When you go to the magazine racks or the library, what do you most like to read about? (Alternately, what do you find yourself searching for on the Internet?)
3) Think about the last few times you said to yourself, "I'd like to try that sometime." What was "that"?
4) What do other people say you do particularly well?
5) Think back to when you were 10 or 12 and try to remember how it felt to be really excited about the possibility of something. What could you do today that might make you feel the same way?
Once you've nailed down what your passion is, can you envision yourself building a livelihood from it? What are the lengths you will go to make your endeavor a success? To figure this out, don't quit your day job just yet. Instead, work on the new business on the side until you know that it's both realistic and profitable. And in the interim, get the word out and see if you can gather any proceeds for your new venture to supplement an actual launch.
How To Love What You Do
If following your dreams isn't quite feasible, the alternative is to find some happiness, some fresh interest, in the work you're doing right now. It's certainly possible. Amy Wresnieski of the University of Michigan has studied this at length and found that the difference between a job (which you do for the money) and a calling (which you do for the love of it -- and for the money) is not the job itself, but how you feel about the work.
So the question becomes: How do you find the calling in your job? First, forge a personal connection with your boss. If you're working for someone you feel is charismatic or inspirational, you'll likely want to perform better in that person's eyes. There is also the possibility that you haven't gotten to know the person who is managing you -- and he or she can have valuable advice as to the direction of your career. Schedule a breakfast meeting. (Yes, breakfast. Those early morning hours signal your willingness to interact off the clock. Lunch can simply be an indicator that you're looking to kick back in the middle of the day.)
Learn to embrace autonomy while you work. Making decisions for yourself throughout the day is key to feeling good about the work you do, no matter what kind of work it is. Research has shown you'll be happier at work if you can make your own mark, even if its simply moving the couch in your office from one side of the room to the other, or scheduling your meetings at 11 a.m. when everyone else holds theirs at 4 p.m. In other words, striking out for independence doesn't have to be a battle cry, it can be a whisper and have the same mood-elevating results.
And lastly, while you're going through this process of finding the satisfaction in your work, it truly helps if you stay uplifted. Tell yourself you had a good day. Walk through the corridors with a smile rather than a scowl on your face. Here's what will happen: Your positive energy will radiate. The person in the next office you've been meaning to befriend will want to strike up a conversation. Your boss will glimpse your bright-eyed demeanor and begin to take more notice of you. If you act like you're having fun, you'll find you are having fun. I'm not promising you a party, but I can guarantee an improvement to your overall work environment.