It’s amazing how powerful attitude can be.
It helps if we have a great boss or are self-employed.
But even if we aren’t that lucky, we do have choices.
We can choose to change our head space.
We can transform the very nature of the job….
…or we can leave.*
*the lucky ones leave early enough to start all over again. Regretfully, the others don't leave in time.
Status, Shmatus, What’s important is that you loooooove what you’re doing!
“I had a flourishing business. i did everything. Design. Import. Retail.”
“And then I got sick and gave it all up. The stress was a killer.”
“Tried a cooking business. Successful. But my back couldn’t take it.”
“Four years ago, I discovered what I loved to do….and could do…..DOG WALKER!”
I love it! I also board dogs. I’m out. I meet people. Life is good.
“What did your friends think of this?”
“I COULDN’T GIVE A DAMN!”
"Ah, if only we could be given the time to do a good job!" He tried twice to change.
A long career of working before he retired.
“I started as an auto mechanic. Eventually at $22 an hour. But my tool box cost me over $50,000.
Plus the cost of insuring it.
I liked the work itself. But not the pressure to do the least possible on a job, not the most.
The push was to get the car in and out fast. And as many out the door as possible. I was there 25 years. And one day, I came to work, and I said, “No more. No satisfaction. No time to do a job I can be proud of.
I quit.”
“So what did you do then?”
“I worked for a manufacturer of sail boats. They pay was only $13 an hour. But at least I didn’t have to bring my own tools. And I liked the work. Actually the boss had the plans created here,
but the boats were built in China. A question of cost. The boss paid $2000 per boat. Cheap.
He sold it for double. But it turned out not so cheap.
There were so many things wrong with the boats when they arrived. Things we had to patch up.
Our patch up couldn’t change the fact that they were cheaply made.
All our patch up work could do was to deal with the obvious problems.
By the time the boss paid us, his profit was down from $2000 to $200.
He screamed, and ranted and raved. To no avail. The boss had to close shop."
Humpty Dumpty had a big fall, and all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t put Humpty together again.
"I was now retired.”
“Maybe when the economy drops, and jobs have to be created here,
maybe then people that work will be given the time to do a good job, a job they can be proud of. ”
“Is there anything you always wanted to do?” “Yes, a Marine Architect. I tried it. I enrolled.
But after 65 you don’t learn as quickly.
I decided to leave it.”
