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Page 1 of 2 Recently in the field of my work I had to do an onerous job. One of those tasks that are really distasteful yet always seem to come with the work. I’m sure you know the type; they’re the ones that ensure that the world doesn’t have too many plumbers or teachers. They are the jobs that guarantee certain people get such high wages in some areas and why it is so difficult to find workers in other areas. I’m sure in your line of work there is just such a task. These tasks are the most important jobs we tackle.
Yes I understand that many employers enforce certain of these jobs and laud them as most important. I’m not referring to that. I’m talking about the personal level. Distasteful jobs are the litmus test to our belonging. They are the measure of our passion. When we get home at night are we still working through that objectionable chore or have we moved on feeling the enrichment of the lives we have touched and the creativity we have added to the world? It is saddening to see how often and how many people have attached themselves to all the things they don’t like about their work. To find one or two tasks in a day that leave us a little repulsed is not abnormal. To find that our working day is filled with one obstacle after another, to find that our co-workers add to the bad taste in our mouths is not good. It is very important to recognize when our work lives are out of balance. When we are truly in appreciation of the work we are doing it is easy to tackle the more onerous aspects of it. Even with those jobs looming we are still able to feel good in our overall work; we are able to contribute in a meaningful way. Best of all, at the end of the day we take home peace, harmony and love. We take home energy to share and a willingness to contribute. Most of all as we add to the quality of life of those around us we add to our own quality of life in an ever increasing spiral. It is important to recognize that we have a choice, a choice many of us have already made. When we take on work we have made decisions to be in integrity with our values and by our actions we publicly display those values. In truth we cannot hide who we are; our actions will always show us out. Our work is a lesser scale of the commitments we take on when becoming parents. Most parents do not get particularly excited about changing diapers and waking up for sick children in the middle of the night. Yet they do these things and much, much more without hesitation because they are inspired by love. Likewise for each of us the rewards of the day at work must also outweigh the unpleasant tasks. When we truly enjoy the major aspects of our work, when we enjoy our co-workers and employers, then taking care of a few minor aspects becomes relatively minor. So what do we do if our work is not working? The easiest thing to do is grumble; unfortunately that is the ‘lesser’ choice of millions, possibly billions. And that is a large part of the challenge our world faces today; dissatisfied people seeking monetary gratification. In third world countries money is a necessity generally in short supply and arguably more important than the quality of work. In the western world where many throw away more than scores of people can ever dream of owning, money has taken on a disproportionate value. It is important to be aware that wherever we have a choice we have another option. Where the obvious choice may have been ‘put up’ the less obvious and by far more challenging choice will be to change our attitude, our way of thinking.
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