Hi Ho, Hi Ho… it’s off to work I go!  With a spring in my step and a sense of purpose!  Or not?

What’s work?  How do you bring real meaning to work?

When we begin working with people in business – owners and team members – we ask what their passion index is for their work.  We ask, “On a range of 1 being abysmal to 10, awesome, how would you rate your passion for your work?”

Based on the responses, many people are less than satisfied with their work (and there’s no difference between how employers and employees feel).  It gets worse because this sense of dissatisfaction tends to permeate into the rest of their lives – it’s as if because work sucks, then, so too must the rest of their lives

They tell us that they don’t enjoy what they do and they really don’t expect to – it is simply a means to an end, or it has become a permanent state of being which seems impossible to change.

The thing is, work takes on different meanings for different people.

A JOB:  Some see work as a job – a pay packet – what they need to do to earn money to do other stuff.

A CAREER: Others see work as a career – they may not enjoy the work itself necessarily but they are driven by the promotion, the status of the position and the climb up the ladder.

FULFILMENT: Work for others may be fulfilment – what they do gives them real meaning and contentment.

A CALLING:  A calling is another way of engaging with work and is an integral part of their purpose in life.

Any and all of these states are ok – it depends entirely on the individual, their belief systems, their blue prints around work, where they are in life and their level of awareness around their state of being.

Given we spend so much time at work – we have found that those who have no real passion for their work are spending a lot of time simply passing time – in a constant state of ennui otherwise known as BLAAAHH.

 

What does it take to shift this state of dissatisfaction to a more productive mindset – to have a different point of view on work?

The answer is in connecting the dots!

If making widgets is what you do but not why you are on this earth for this time, then how do you connect the dots between the making of widgets and life’s purpose?

The connection is made by viewing the pay or salary as an ENABLER rather than as a result or financial outcome.

You see when we change the way we look at things the things we look at change.

When we see our job or the pay cheque as the enabler of our extraordinary life, then, how we see the job changes.  The job takes on new meaning.

When encouraged to see wages as an enabler – enabling us to do more of what we love, to live a life full of purpose and intent – we are defining the context in which work sits.  We now understand that fulfilment does not need to come from the widget making itself.  And most importantly, with this understanding, we have a new respect for work because it is now positioned as the funding source for a life of fulfilment outside of work.

The status of the job has been lifted from meaningless widget making to being the conduit to fulfilment in life beyond work.

We have noticed that with this shift in mindset people are “falling back in love with their jobs” – this new energy around work often attracts new opportunities and new opportunities open the way to variety and growth which lifts energy further, which opens more doors and on it goes – work becomes more meaningful – and just maybe establishes itself as even more that an enabler!

What is work for you?  Would seeing work as an enabler make a difference to its value from your perspective?

Take time out to consider how changing the way you look at work might change your attitude to it.  Shifting from energy sucker to enabler of life!

The day following the MH17 tragedy I pondered my book case containing 100’s of books and was drawn to Eckhart Tolle’s “Stillness Speaks”.

Now I have a “rule” (better described as a “suggestion to self” perhaps) – that I must finish a book before I start another.  I hadn’t finished the book I was reading but still I took this book and began to read.

And this is why… It reminded me to look beyond the NOISE.  It reminded me that I could chose to allow my energy to be eroded by the enormity of this tragedy, to be despondent – or not!

Eckhart in his introduction writes:

“The transformation of human consciousness is no longer a luxury, so to speak, available only to a few isolated individuals, but a necessity if humankind is not to destroy itself. At the present time, the dysfunction of the old consciousness and the arising of the new are both accelerating?  Paradoxically, things are getting worse and better at the same time, although the worse is more apparent because it makes so much “noise”.”

I believe it’s time to accelerate the BETTER to overtake the WORSE with vigour and urgency – it’s time to make more noise, to be visible and to shift the balance with a groundswell unlike anything we have ever seen.

And I believe it starts with each of us.  Too often the “problems” seem so big, so global that we think we cannot make a difference.  I believe that we can – each and every one of us can make a difference.  When we think we can’t – we have already lost.

The ripple effect is so very powerful – we lift the energy of someone, who lifts the energy of another, who will lift the energy of another – and on it goes.  Darkness cannot exist in a high energy environment.  This ripple effect, will ripple by ripple, disturb the state of ennui too prevalent in our societies.  Disinterest and lethargy is what the WORSE is relying on to win out.  Enthusiasm and a sense of purpose and joy will accelerate the BETTER.  Imagine the impact when millions of people have their foot firmly on the BETTER accelerator.

May this tragedy, this heart wrenching NOISE, be the impetus for becoming interested, really interested in making a difference – so interested that we will actually do something (or perhaps, stop doing something).

What I know is… if it’s going to be, then it’s up to me.  My contribution to the betterment of this planet cannot be delegated.  How will you make a difference?

Ennui is my new favourite word – and this is why!

The symptoms of this ailment are boredom, tedium, lethargy, languor, weariness, sluggishness and enervation.

Definition of ENNUI: a French word meaning – a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement, lack of interest, of spirit, and enthusiasm.

The cure – disturbance – introduction of uncertainty, excitement, spontaneity, purpose – re-ignition of passion for life and living.

Are you suffering from this virus – do you have the symptoms?  How are you feeling, how are you being?

Do you look something like this?

Has your team caught this virus?  It is very contagious and even more so if the leaders are suffering Ennui.

And your clients – how excited are they about their relationship with you?

Ennui comes in so many different forms –

• SSDD Syndrome (same stuff different day – lack of innovation and drive)
• WHEN THEN Disease (Gathering excuses for not playing a bigger game now)
• FTI Malady (failure to implement due to a lack of urgency)

When did you last introduce something new, fun, innovative – something that pushed the status quo – that would replace frustration with fascination –  boredom with enthusiasm – languor with vigour!

What an opportunity!  To be the catalyst – to introduce the cure – to re-ignite the flame.

Our challenge to you:

Do something today that will take you out of your comfort zone, that will enthuse your team and will delight your clients.