It's All On How You Think

Definitely! Why do we complain often about our lives? Because we compare ourselves with others. Because we want to follow the norm of society. Because we are looking to satisfy our material needs rather than our internal needs. Because we prefer to change ourselves in order to blend in rather than being different.

No matter which category we belong to, our satisfaction can be easily derived from our very own mindset. If you set your mind to do it, you can and will find way to do it. If you are not so keen, then you will procrastinate.

Why do people say it starts to get boring after 5 years working? It can't be that you are doing the same job over and over again throughout these years as there are bound to be challenges and unforeseen changes, especially in terms of responsibility. It's all in the mindset.

When we see that our friends are working up the corporate ladder with great remuneration while we stay the same, we feel that our work is mundane, that we are underpaid, etc. But did we ask if we did anything to revive our passion in work? Did we ask if we did anything which really stands out in company's view?

That was my dilemma recently. I started to find myself being stagnant at work. No longer as eager and passionate as I used to be. Just settling anything that seemed urgent enough to address. Well, you can't blame anyone if you have a lousy boss who can't motivate you and whatnot.

But you can tell yourself to do the best because the best preparation for the future is to do the best in the present. Like me, I suddenly realized that if I really want to do my job well, I have loads of mini improvement projects to initiate for my certification system and for my own personal technical development.

The question lies in: Want or don't want to do?

The problem comes when the things that we initiate are done voluntarily, no reward or pushing from management. Hard to push things through as other department don't see the value in it. But can it still be done? Can. Just that people won't like you enough to do it well for you. Their standard is: do the bare minimum. That's where you don't feel like working hard anymore.

I told my staff the other day, I am not sure if I should change job or not. Started to lose passion. But few days later, I had this self-realization, that's all my excuses only. Of course it will be better if you have a supportive management to make things easier for you. But if you don't have, then it serves as a challenge to you to prove yourself worthy.

At least that's what I thought. I have been through that. Being the only eager ones to do some improvement, sometimes to the point of being too idealistic and too pushy, that I am certainly not a favorite colleague. Come to think of it, why must I put myself in such a position?

I should foster a harmonious working relationship instead. Then people won't hesitate to co-operate. A bit too late to realize this isn't it? Anyhow, I hope I can do better in my current work. No longer thinking of leaving, instead work harder so that when opportunity comes, I am ready for it.