Self Discovery

(make sure you read the other post from today as well I was pretty down when I wrote it)

When I make the statement "I hate my job" what am I really stating?

Here is how I am finding out:

1. I asked myself the question "what about my job is so bad?"
2. I got a list of reasons
3. I analyzed the list of reasons to find out which ones were "valid"
4. I rethink the ones that are not "valid"

Validity is based on the criteria that it is a reason that I have found to be a reasonable and non-self inflicted. It is unchangeable by just thinking about it differently.

These are my notes:

I hate my job because:

- I will be getting a responsibility I do not want
- I do not like the management (the manager is fine, the management is not)
- I do not like the workplace culture
- I do not like the workplace environment
- I do not like some of the people I work with
- I do not like surprises that keep me there late or that send me on an unexpected trip
- I do not like what I do

These are unchangeable:

- I will be getting a responsibility I do not want
- I do not like the management (the manager is fine, the management is not)
- I do not like the workplace culture
- I do not like the workplace environment
- I do not like surprises that keep me there late or that send me on an unexpected trip

These are changeable:

- I do not like some of the people I work with
- I do not like what I do

So not liking a job is not reasonable when it is because I don't like some people or that I do not like what I do.

I can change those things by warming up to those I do not like. I could also find some kind of enjoyment in what I do. I know that this is possible because if Victor Frankl can find some purpose while surviving a Nazi death camp I can find purpose in what I do. I can likely change that purpose into enjoyment.

In defense of the things I do not think I can change:

I do not have a choice in the responsibility. If I don't want it I need another job.

The management is not going to change as long as the manager is there. I am never going to like the style. I cannot change it if I talked to the manager about it. It's not even necessarily the manager's fault.

I cannot change the workplace culture. It is what it is. I do not like it and will never.

I can't change where we work. I do not like it and they are not going to change it even if I asked.

Finally, you can never predict what a client is going to demand. If we could there would be no surprises and we would have already been prepared.

'Nuff said.