Mar 26

In the Office – Means to an End (repost)

We spend countless hours and thousands of dollars taking classes to train for a “job”, and then we choose a career based on what we learn instead of who we are. When you ask most students “WHY” they chose to attend college they say, “Because I need a degree to get a job.” It’s a means to end. How many people approach life the same way?

Sadly, too many. Research shows approximately 67% of working adults surveyed are dissatisfied at work.

What if it all ended tomorrow? We tell ourselves we have to work our current job to pay the bills, to sustain a life-style, to get out of debt…the reasons are endless. The truth – they are all EXCUSES! We create stories to justify our circumstance because we are fearful of the unknown. It’s more comfortable to stay in our current situation than to try something new. What if it doesn’t work out?

What if it does work out?

Are you creating the greatest return on your investment of time in a job you don’t like and living a life that’s less than satisfying? Could you make more money if you were happy? Could you attract more clients if you were doing what you loved? Could you be a better partner, parent, friend and/or colleague if you found joy in your daily activities?

When we understand the motivations behind behavior, our career paths are clear, financial return is greater and satisfaction at home and at work increase. Ask yourself “Who Am I?” To find the answer to that question, take the DISC and/or explore the following questions:

• If money were no object what would I do?
• Where do I naturally spend my free time?
• What are my favorite activities? Why?
• What are the character traits of the people I want in my life?
• What are my greatest strengths?
• What legacy do I want to leave?
• Where do I show up as my best self?
• Who do I want to spend time with?
• What is my ideal work schedule?
• How do I want to feel each day?

Answering these questions will help you describe what you want and see where there are discrepancies in your current situation. Only you can decide if you want your life to be more than a “means to an end.”

Laura Treonze, serves as Chief Life Strategist with LMT Consulting, which helps executives and teams create massive success through self-awareness. Her life-changing approach has transformed individuals and families and has redefined the way non-profits and corporations “do” business.