I get really bored with zoo animal types who are unhappy at work but just can’t just can’t find it within themselves to go get another job. Since most of the people I know are unhappy at some level with work, I wonder why they just don’t go to another company. I mean if you are happy, then by all means STAY in the zoo you presently inhabit. I really liked my 6 years at Sun. I admit it. I am ultimately glad I left to go make my million, but for six years I was in love with work. It wasn’t perfect all the time but in the morning I actually looked forward to going to work and often stayed late in the evening rather than rushing home. My wife understood that this was a rarity for me. She supported my endeavors.
I rarely felt that at the myriad of crappy pie holes I worked at over the years.
The fact is most people hang on to jobs like bad relationships.
Too long.
One friend told me that he just can’t seem to market himself. He just can’t seem to network. It is too painful for him. In his case he has no job at all. He hasn’t had one for about 5 years. He is living on unemployment and credit cards.
“I just can’t do it,” he whines his head dropping down.
“I’ll coach you to a new job,” I told him.
I just can’t do it.
In the meantime he knocked up a girl and got her pregnant.
Gasp!
I just can’t do it.
I remember what it was like to be up against the wall financially after the three witches ran me out of Borland. I had some severance and a bit of savings. I had 2 months. I wanted to give up too.
But working my ass off, like a hungry cheetah who has lost their kill to the lions, I hunted until I found my next job. I didn’t blame the lions. I didn’t blame the three witches. Witches have to be what they are.
They might still be out there. Whatever world they inhabit, I left it behind when I left Borland. I knew their hate would eventually consume themselves in the end.
It is the way of it.
You move on. You MUST move on.
It is too easy to be paralyzed by what is happening to you. It is tougher to move on.
If you find yourself in Hell, keep moving. Churchill said that and he was right.
It isn’t the job or your boss or what others think of you that is important.
It is that you posses skills and ability. Your gifts. You can take those anywhere you want.
But more often than not, I hear those words.
I just can’t do it.
I am working on my resume.
It isn’t a good time for me to move right now. It is however a good time to let people beat the crap out of me at work or in my personal life. Yes, it is an excellent time for that!
“But you see, I have, let’s say, sixty years to live. Most of that time will be spent working. I’ve chosen the work I want to do. If I find no joy in it, then I’m only condemning myself to sixty years of torture. And I can find the joy only if I do my work in the best way possible to me. But the best is a matter of standards–and I set my own standards. I inherit nothing. I stand at the end of no tradition. I may, perhaps, stand at the beginning of one.”
- Howard Roark
If you are truly unhappy, try going out the door. What you will find is another door. One that is waiting for you. A door to be opened.
This post reminds me of a recurring dream that I was having when I was in college. I went to a private University and many of my childhood friends didn’t go to college. I was feeling a lot of conflict between my past and my future. So I had a recurring dream where my childhood friends convinced me to help them rob a bank. So we went to the bank on a busy Friday and we waited in line to rob the bank. I keep trying to sneak out, but a combination of loyalty and getting caught trying to leave keep me there. The lesson learned was literal – don’t be held up by your friends.