There are plenty of blogs, posts and quotes telling us we must love what we do. However, is it absolutely necessary that you love your job? Is it okay to just like it or like certain aspects? Is it unrealistic to expect to love all aspects? Or is it reasonable to have certain aspects of the job we really don’t enjoy?

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” – Maya Angelou

At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice.  However, it certainly makes the journey so much more pleasant and worthwhile if we enjoy what we do. Having a job means different things to different people and different meanings at different times throughout their lives. A job means an income, a way of paying the bills and buying nice things.

A job can be a vehicle for making friends, adding a social aspect to their lives.  Some people are career orientated and need to feel they are a key player in an organisation and that they are adding value and positively contributing to the wider community. Do you get excited at the start of a brand new week?  New challenges and objectives to achieve?  Or are you someone who gets that horrible feeling of dread on Sunday night?  If you are the latter, then it appears that you’re not alone.

“Mind has released new research showing that two thirds (66 percent) of people experience ‘Sunday Blues’, anxiety triggered by thoughts of work the following day.”  Mind.org.uk

If you don’t like having that experience on Sunday then you do have the power and freedom of choice to address and change.  That might well be a scary thought for some of you or empowering to others. Making the decision to change is a big step and not to be taken lightly.  Plan and prepare as much as you can.  However, if you’re waiting for the “perfect” time you could be in for a very long wait.

Mindset & New Perspective

Like it or not, you are 100% responsible for your attitude, behaviour, and actions. You cannot control some (if not most) of the things that happen to you – redundancy, illness, bereavement, economic growth, upturns, and downturns or the weather! However, you can control how you handle what life throws at you and yes, you are 100% responsible for that response.

Is it possible to shift your mindset and think differently about your job? We think it’s absolutely possible to change your perception and how you frame your experiences. It’s incredibly empowering when to start to consciously get worth from every experience and take personal responsibility.

Let me share an inspirational story with you.  Dr. Viktor Frankl was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. He learned how to get worth and personal meaning from his experiences during his imprisonment in the camps. This search for personal meaning gave him the will to live through the atrocities and survive one of the worst experiences against humanity in history. He is primarily concerned with finding satisfaction and fulfillment. He explains that everyone has the freedom of choice in spite of circumstances or their current situation.  Dr. Viktor Frankl sees our ability to respond to life and to be responsible to live as a major factor in finding meaning and therefore, fulfillment in life.

Anxiety is the most common mental health issue in today’s world. Many people experience anxiety at some stage in their life.  The power of our daily thoughts has a big influence on our attitudes and behaviours.  Taking control and responsibility over our thoughts using affirmations will have a positive impact on how you handle situations. 

Read this incredibly useful article by Relax Like a Boss.

This leads nicely to the next point about taking personal responsibility.

Personal Responsibility

While conducting the research for this blog and the meaning of taking personal responsibility I found the work of Christopher Avery the founder of The Leadership Gift™ and The Responsibility Process ®. Christopher Avery believes the first principle of success is taking personal responsibility. He talks about several mental states or non-responsive thinking that naturally counteracts against us taking responsibility. It’s hard-wired in us if something goes wrong and things do go wrong. He also talks about these states taking up valuable energy and time and we are giving away our power if we ultimately don’t take personal responsibility.

Responsibility: Owning your ability and power to create, choose, and attract

Quit: Giving up to avoid the pain of shame and obligation.

Obligation: Doing what you have to instead of what you want to.  If you hear yourself saying “I should…” or “I ought to….” this may be an indication that you feel obliged to do something.

Shame: Laying blame on oneself (often felt as guilt). We tell ourselves we are not good enough. Tune into the little voice in your mind and become consciously aware of taking the blame.

Justify: Using excuses for things being the way they are.  When you justify you are making excuses for things being the way they are. This implies there’s nothing that can be done to change the situation or circumstances.

Lay Blame: Holding others at fault for causing something.  When you blame others you are not taking responsibility or ownership for your part in the situation.

Denial: Ignoring the existence of something. The path to mastery is less than easy and will have many barriers, challenges and problems along the journey. Try every day to be consciously aware when you are not taking personal responsibility or avoiding any responsibility.

Powerful Questions

“Watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become…habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny! What we think we become.”

Our thoughts usually start with a question. Those questions often happen unconsciously and in a fraction of a second.  Negative questions tend to produce a negative thought. Therefore, it makes sense when considering changing your mindset to start asking positive and powerful questions.

  1. What can I do for someone else today?
  2. How can I add value to the world today?
  3. What have I done really well today?
  4. Today I’m grateful for the following things?
  5. Have I learnt anything today and what could I do better tomorrow?

“Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” – Tony Robbins

Is it necessary to love your job? We think it’s certainly a benefit to find meaning in what you do to gain satisfaction and fulfilment. We also believe you have the freedom of choice and the choice to make changes by taking personal responsibility. Have you got any success stories that might just inspire others?  We’d love to hear from you and you would be welcome to write a blog for us.