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The Power of "Whatever"
Dead-end job? Frustrating boss? Ridiculous work environment? , I want to teach all of you about the Power of Whatever. There was a time, years ago, when I wanted to impress my boss, I cared about what people at work thought of me, and I got worked up over every little task at work that wasnt running smoothly. Frankly, I stressed myself out, or, I let other people get to me. That is, until I learned about the Power of Whatever.
Those who use the word Whatever often are categorized as lazy, sluggish, lax and unmotivated, but I contend that my whatever philosophy can actually improve your performance at work, reduce the gray hairs popping out of your head, and lead to a healthier lifestyle.
Its really quite simple. About 2 years ago I was maxed out in terms of promotion potential at my current employer. I had been on the job for 3 years and had been promoted 3 times during that 3-year span. I went from a College kid willing to do just about anything for health benefits, to a Advertising Agency Director with 5 or 6 people reporting to me. I was reporting directly to the President & CEO, great, huh? Not really. I realized quickly that the extra money and responsibility wasnt worth making work my #1 priority in life. I found myself, just months after getting married, sitting in meetings at 9pm on weekdays, while my wife was home alone, working on weekends for no other reason than, to impress my CEO, and traveling 3 or 4 days a week while my wife, again, sat at home. Thats what is required if you want to keep moving up the executive food chain. You get a feel-good promotion offer with dreams of changing the failing culture of a company and putting your mark on something that those before you just couldnt handle. Its exciting, and frankly. If youre offered a promotion, you cant really turn it down or theyll never offer you anything again. I busted my ass and before I was 30, I was moving rapidly up the ladder.
Then, amidst all of this hard work, a visit to my Doctor reveals a brain tumor, a life-threatening brain tumor. Long story-short, I ended up having two brain surgeries, which very nearly cost me my life. As I was lying in the hospital I realized that if I had passed away during one of these surgeries, I would have spent the last years of my life consumed with work. I sat in a wheelchair looking out of a window at the hospital and there it was, the world was going on without me, I wasnt at work and the world was fine. Work didnt really matter in the grand scheme of things. If I do a good job, the owner makes a few more bucks. In my head, disgusted with that thought, I just kind of said Whatever.
I vowed at that point to keep my priorities straight, and if I was ever able to get out of that hospital, Id (cliché alert!) Work to live; not live to work.
Well, about a month later I left that hospital, and a few months after that, I returned to work. Before I even returned, they contacted me about switching jobs to something with less than the boatload of hours I had been working. What good was I if I couldnt dedicate my life to work? I took a mini-demotion, more than anything, to cut my hours and give myself a life outside of work and time to recover. Honestly, when presented with the idea of a demotion, I just kind of said whatever, and took what theyd give me cause I needed the insurance having just had a quarter of a million dollar surgery, not to mention, the news that my wife and I had a baby on the way. I certainly couldnt be unemployed, so, like I said, I took what they gave me. A few months later, I had a second surgery and came back to another demotion, cutting thousands of dollars off of my salary and placing me nowhere near the position I had been in prior. Can you say Americans with Disabilities Lawsuit? I almost did. Instead, I said whatever.
If theyre going to cut my pay and my responsibilities, then Im going to do what Im paid for. After a good whatever, I decided that Id bust my ass for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, but no more. Im not skipping lunches to get ahead, or staying late to impress anyone. Im here to do a job and I do it, but once 6 o clock rolls around, Im out. I have my priorities to get home to.
I may not have the income I once had, but I have a life and I have my priorities straight. Everyday, I see people crazily running around the office, stressed out, complaining, trying to get ahead, working ridiculous hours, going out of their way to do things just to impress and when they ask me how I feel about it, I simply say whatever.
I no longer care about office politics, I dont care who my boss is, I no longer fear losing my job, or my office which Ive now lost twice, I dont put anyone on a pedestal because of their money, If I have an Doctors appointment, I dont worry about what people will think about me taking sick-time in the middle of a work day, I just do it. I have my life to live first. I work to live. If you have a problem with that, then I say whatever.
Scott Ryan
scottgryan@aol.com
http://www.patient-network.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Ryan
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