Do not - I repeat - DO NOT like your job
With thanks to Kathy Sierra for letting
me borrow her visual style for a blogpost.
Except of course that her stuff looks much better :o)
After one of my recent speaking gigs about happiness at work, one participant told me this story:
I work as a programmer in a major bank. I used to go in every week, work my 40 hours (more like 50, but hey) and get paid a nice salary. It was a nice job in a good company, my boss was a good guy, my co-workers were neat people and the work was OK.
But as time passed, I felt like something was missing. Work was comfortable and secure, but I felt that there were sides of me that I never really got to use. I wanted to do work I could really feel proud of. I wanted to make more of a difference. And mostly, I was never really excited about work.
So I asked myself what it would take to improve things. I came up with three things:
- Being more creative and working on more varied projects, as opposed to only maintaining the bank’s internal programs.
- More fun at work. The mood in the department was very serious and professional, to the point of being boring.
- Learning some new professional skills.
I asked my boss about this and he was very supportive. We drew up a plan for some courses and certifications and found some new tasks that I could work on. We recruited some like-minded allies in the group and worked on lightening the mood in the group together.
To my surprise, this didn’t just change my work life a little, it made a big difference. With my new skills, new projects and a more positive mood at work, I went from feeling OK about my job to feeling really great about it.
I do much better work as well. Partly because I’ve increased my skills and increased my work experience but mainly because I feel so much more enthusiastic about work now. The difference between being OK with my job and being happy about it has been huge for me.
Most job satisfaction surveys can divide people into three groups:
- People who HATE their jobs. Usually around 10%
- People who like their jobs. Around 70-80% of us.
- People who LOVE their jobs. Usually around 10-20%
This may sound strange coming from me, but I’m deadly serious here: Do not like your job.
Liking your job is nice. It’s comfortable. It’s safe. It’s OK. When you like your job you’re pretty efficient. You’re fairly satisfied. You can get by for years on liking your job.
But when you LOVE your job - MAN, what a difference that makes.
It’s a relatively small step from liking your job to loving it. It doesn’t take much and the things we need to do are relatively easy and available to all of us.
But the difference in outcome is humongous. As long as you like your job, you’re only a pale reflection of what you could be if you loved it. You’re realizing only a small fraction of your full potential. You’re not having nearly as much sun as you could have.
Studies show that there are huge benefits to crossing the threshold and getting to the point where you’re really happy at work, as opposed to merely satisfied. Among other things:
- You do much better work.
- You’re much more creative.
- You’re much more motivated.
- You have much more energy.
- You’re much more productive.
- You’re a much better co-worker.
- If your job involves sales, you’re a much better salesperson.
- If your job involves customer contact, your customers are much happier.
- Your quality of life outside of work is much higher.
And we’re not talking just a little more - we’re talking a LOT more!
Millions of people settle for jobs they like. The problem is that when you like your job there isn’t much pressure on you to change. Liking your job isn’t bad for you. It’s certainly much, much better than hating your job - which can make you sick or even kill you.
But when you love your job you are in a completely different league.
So I’m saying that we shouldn’t settle for any less anymore. Let’s make happiness at work the norm rather than the exception. It may take some work, but each and every one of us can get there.
First make that decision for yourself - decide that from now on, you will be happy at work. Then find out what you can do to get to love your job or what you can do to get a job you love. Then do it.
What about you - do you love your job? Have you had a job you loved? How does it affect you when you love your job? Write a comment!
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Tomi Astikainen Said,
December 6, 2006 @ 3:13 pm
I love my job and I love your blog! It makes me happy.
-Tomi
Jonas Haurum Said,
December 7, 2006 @ 12:50 am
The only problem about loving (LOVING!) your job is than oftentimes you find yourself at the office very late at night with ABSOLUTELY NO INCLINATION TO GO HOME!
Viji Said,
December 7, 2006 @ 9:26 am
Well said, Alex. Yes I love my job and it makes me more comfortable at work. Interesting article. Viji
a Said,
December 7, 2006 @ 4:43 pm
Yeah, I’ve had several jobs I’ve just _loved_. Over time, co-workers move on and productivity must be maintained with fewer workers, and I’ve gotten too much lovin’. Somehow I’m reminded of the scene in the movie _A Boy and His Dog_ where the underground people need to come up every generation to get a fertile male. When the guy realizes what they want, he says, “Yee Haw, bring ‘em on!” The next scene shows him in a hospital bed hooked up to a machine that is extracting some white stuff, while next to him is a preacher and a line of brides…
Your chart needs to be extended to the right to show the S-curve.
OR’s Blog » Do you love your job Said,
December 7, 2006 @ 4:54 pm
[...] So I can comfortably say, I love my job, except the Peopleware part, thats where it ends! [...]
Anthony Said,
December 7, 2006 @ 8:53 pm
I work for the best company ever. You have to love what you do. You have to work with people who challenge you to raise you game. My weeks go so fast, I am afraid im giong to be old very quickly.
Were not the biggest in our industry - but we enjoy what we do the most.
http://www.weblinc.com
Anthony
Bob Said,
December 7, 2006 @ 10:43 pm
What crap. “[D]ecide that from now on, that you will be happy.” I smell a Positive Mental Attitude.
You can fool youself some of the time, but eventually, you’re going to crack, realize you’ve been lying to yourself (that’s great for self-esteem) and ignoring the stuff that really makes you unhappy. Good prescription.
What about daily affirmations? Or crystals? Pyramid Power, anyone?
Only the truth will save us. Some of us have crappy ugly jobs that *should* make us unhappy, and the best we can reasonably hope for is to land a different job that pays the bills and makes us less unhappy.
Prozac, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, etc. are useful, too.
Graham Said,
December 7, 2006 @ 11:47 pm
I hate my job, but I’m also really really good at it (and it shows, too). That doesn’t seem to figure on your chart.
Jonathan Karpfen Said,
December 8, 2006 @ 12:54 am
Bob, dude. You sound like you could use some Prozac :). But you do make an important point: “success” in your career (unless you’re only after the money) is not about convincing yourself that you love your job. It’s about making sure that whatever you decide to undertake in life is as likely as possible to jive with who you are, what you want, and what you’ve got to offer. Do that now and you can avoid the need for medication later.
Communication - Leadership - Success - Public Speaking Said,
December 8, 2006 @ 3:54 am
[...] The CHO (Chief Happiness Advisor) at Positive Sharing has some advice for us: do not like your job. [...]
Alexander Kjerulf Said,
December 8, 2006 @ 1:45 pm
Tomi: Thanks a lot - that made ME happy!
Jonas: That is indeed a problem - but not the worst problem you can have :o)
Viji: Thanks!
a: Actually, I don’t think you can be too happy - what you describe would make me less happy, taking me back down the curve. Does that make sense?
Anthony: Cool - who wants to be the biggest, when you can be the one having the most fun!
Bob: I agree - you can’t fool yourself. What I’m advocating is to do something about it so that you ARE happy - not just pretending to be happy. I would much rather do that, than accept that work must be unhappy and that I will spend 1/3 of my adult life on a job that is - at best- OK.
Graham: Well, if you’re already good at it when you hate it - imagine how much better would you be if you loved it?
Jonathan: “whatever you decide to undertake in life is as likely as possible to jive with who you are” - I like that!
KnowHR Blog » Blog Archive » Friday HR Links - The Motivation Edition Said,
December 8, 2006 @ 2:12 pm
[...] Do not - I repeat - DO NOT like your job. The Chief Happiness Officer says when you like your job it’s okay…but when you love your job it’s “friggin fantastic.” [...]
DataWebTect » Blog Archive » Do not like your job! Said,
December 8, 2006 @ 3:21 pm
[...] An interesting post from Alexander about the way you approach work. It is true when you like your job you are in a bottomless hole. In this stage you are in a saturation of your existing competencies and pretty saturated an doing okay. There is no motivation or enthusiasm to do work and excel at it. It is going to be a daily grind which over a period of time you get bored and lose your attention to the determent of your future. When you love your job then things turn abruptly , now you will find going to work is something you look forward to and something you enjoy. Also, you will be more productive and motivated. These are all said and good but there could be real life situations wherein you are in a dead end job with no future, then you really need to rethink. Nowadays, some concerns are going backward to the times wherein the individual growth is sacrificed to the benefit of the corporation by keeping the employee in the same position fearing that the there would not be anybody available to complete the job of the employee whom you are promoting. This is a completely ridiculous philosophy which could contribute to the elimination and extinction of creativity. If you know you are not going to get promoted or not going to be awarded then there is no Self actualization as per Maslow. [...]
Ned Said,
December 9, 2006 @ 10:28 pm
For me it depends on the day. Some days I love my job, the people, the tasks, the challenges. Yes, I work late when I love my tasks. Other days, I dont enjoy problems, confusion, miscommunication. I could do better to avoid those issues.
FreakJoBlog » Archive » DOs And DON’Ts (#1) Said,
December 10, 2006 @ 9:59 am
[...] For more on why, see The Chief Happiness Officer’s analysis. [...]
Gabe Said,
December 12, 2006 @ 11:30 pm
I like that comment above: “You have to work with people who challenge you to raise you game.”
Question: What do you do if you work at a place where, every time you try to “raise your game”, i.e. creating coding standards, improving functionality of commonly used systems, etc, you are told that “We don’t have time for that.” or “We should put that on the back burner until we have more staff.” or anything else that ends up sounding like “No”. What advice do you have for those who want to improve things and are consistently met with opposition?
Quote Said,
December 14, 2006 @ 3:51 pm
[...] Do not - I repeat - DO NOT like your job [...]
Ask the CHO: Making change happen Said,
December 15, 2006 @ 12:10 am
[...] On my post about liking vs. loving your job, Gabe asked an interesting question in the comments: What do you do if you work at a place where, every time you try to “raise your game?, i.e. creating coding standards, improving functionality of commonly used systems, etc, you are told that “We don’t have time for that.? or “We should put that on the back burner until we have more staff.? or anything else that ends up sounding like “No?. What advice do you have for those who want to improve things and are consistently met with opposition? [...]
Contract Worker - Staying Happy While Working Said,
December 15, 2006 @ 7:16 pm
[...] Why You Shouldn’t Like Your Job/Work [...]
Make change happen Said,
December 18, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
[...] Gabe recently asked: What advice do you have for those who want to improve things and are consistently met with opposition? [...]
Love Lost Said,
December 19, 2006 @ 11:09 pm
I had a job that I loved, I worked hard, loved what I did, did well with the people I worked with. But then the 18 month contract ran out and I can’t go back for six months and they can’t make me a permanent employee.
So what do you do when you lose a job you love and take a job you may hate?
A question for ya: Losing a job you love Said,
December 19, 2006 @ 11:31 pm
[...] Love Lost: I had a job that I loved, I worked hard, loved what I did, did well with the people I worked with. But… [...]
Alexander Said,
December 19, 2006 @ 11:32 pm
Thanks for a great question Love Lost. I’ve passed the question on to all the readers of the blog.
How to deal with a bad boss Said,
January 23, 2007 @ 11:31 am
[...] Do not like your job. [...]
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March 25, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
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Pat Said,
April 3, 2007 @ 4:01 pm
But what do you do when the job you love doesn’t love you back? What am I supposed to do now that things are uncomfortable between us?
Alexander Said,
April 3, 2007 @ 10:14 pm
Pat: Maybe it’s time you and your job had “the talk.” :o)
jack stack barbecue Said,
April 22, 2007 @ 11:49 am
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james a lawler Said,
December 6, 2007 @ 4:17 am
hay! i hate my job ,i am 23, i know i can do better .but not living in a small town in the north west. i have fiber glass in my arms i am tired eavry day after work i smell of chemichals. the people around me are all 20 years older then me and they seem unhappy about 85% of the time the owner feels that production is key but nobody it educated in the trade its funny and repetitive BULL
Kumar Said,
December 26, 2007 @ 7:34 am
Hi Alex,
Thanks for this article. I would like to know your opinion on this situation:
I was offered a job in a company right after I did my technical writing course. I was the sole tech writer there. Now I find I need more supervision regarding how to complete my projects well.(It involves, organising different parts of work, gathering info from developers, getting network engineers to work out my comp problenms,getting feedback from competent persons, and most of all understanding office politics …). I am at a loss regarding how to finish my assignments in a fine way….
Kindly offer your comments and suggestions on this situation. I will be grateful. Thanks.
Mitt Said,
May 2, 2008 @ 1:09 pm
Beats being miserable, make the choice, choose happy!!!
John Said,
May 8, 2008 @ 6:59 am
I agree with you. People should love their jobs. I, however, do have a question. When you say that studies have shown that there are huge benefits to loving your job, which studies are they? I’m sure there are too many to post, but just a few specific examples of positive psychological studies would be a wonderful way to increase the credibility of those claims. :)
I hope you have a wonderful day!
Interesting thought… | El Mundo Con Otros Ojos Said,
June 25, 2008 @ 11:49 pm
[...] you should not like your job. That is right - you should not like it. That is not to say you should “not like [...]