When You Don’t Love the Work

“What does the world need?”

“How can I contribute to the lives of others?”

“What are my talents?”

“How can I do best what I like to do and meet real needs where I work?”

These questions are borrowed from the recently published book, “Primary Greatness” by the late Dr. Stephen R. Covey.

---

Work can be difficult and unrewarding.

Am I right?

Is it Ok to just say that?

Why else would so many people call it the “daily grind”?

Sure, there are many people who claim to absolutely love what they do but even those people would likely admit there are days when the work is just not fun.

But let’s just say in your case you don’t love THE work.

(In fact, maybe you don’t even kind-of-like the work)

The thing you are doing just doesn’t light your fire.

Whatever widgets or services your organization provides do not align with your calling in life.

I get it.

But spending so many hours of your life unhappy or unfulfilled is very frustrating. Maybe you feel like you are wasting precious time.

What if the key to changing this experience is not trying to make yourself love the work.

Or even changing the work.

What if, instead, you learned to love YOUR work.

That’s where these questions can help.

In almost every work context, there exists the possibility to make YOUR unique contribution.

To make an impact.

To make the world a better place.

These opportunities may have nothing to do with your job description.

They exist because work is where we come into contact with other people and wherever people come together the door is open for service, encouragement, contribution, creativity, and so on.

You can create a work of art within your work.

You have a blank canvas.

---

Where can you make a difference?

Let your personality shine?

Lighten the load?

Show a little creativity?

Have some fun?

---

The meaning you give to the time you spend at the work can change the way you experience your life.

Ask yourself these questions and you just might find work that you love in the work that you do.