We often talk about goals and goal setting at ALRA. We believe it’s incredibly important to push yourself and strive to achieve what you believe in and hopefully, get what you’re looking for from life. We also however, believe that if success is one side of the coin, then the flip side is gratitude and fulfillment.
So as a shout-out to our American friends getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, we thought it might be a nice time to write about what people can be thankful for in their careers – even when the job is not quite right. The workplace can be stressful, particularly if you are thinking about a job change but silver linings can always be found if you look hard enough.
So what can you be thankful for?
1. You’re Always Learning Something
In any job, love it or hate it, you are learning something. You may be learning new skills, learning how to deal with people more effectively, learning patience or learning that this isn’t the particular job or career path you want to take. No matter what it is, you’re learning something that will be important to your future.
2. It is Leading You Somewhere
Even if you don’t feel like your current job is where you want to be, it is leading you to your eventual destination. Take one of our employees as an example. In her last job, she felt stifled, intimidated and didn’t enjoy the work but working there gave her the connections, skills and training that brought her to her current job where she now has the freedom and skills to push the boundaries in an area she does enjoy.
Without her previous job, she would never have been given her current opportunity. So, if the job isn’t one that you love (or even if it is), it is still helping you to forge your path, clarify your goals and lead you towards something better.
3. It’s Giving You a Story
How many people do you know that have had a job they didn’t like? Pretty much everyone right? How many of those same people however seem more interesting for their experiences? At ALRA, we’ve all had jobs in the past that weren’t what we wanted, but we can look back at them now, laugh and be thankful for the experiences that have led us to where we are.
4. Your Colleagues
There’s a reason one of the most common answers to the question of “what do you like most about your job?” is the people. People can (for the most part) be pretty awesome and getting to know the people around you can make the working day go that much faster. They can also provide networking opportunities – something that is a vital factor for the growth of anyone’s career and can make a big difference down the track.
5. Employers & Culture
Most employers want to do the right thing by their employees and this is definitely something to be thankful for. We often hear from people that don’t like their job that they have stayed in it so long because of the company and culture the boss has established. A good boss and culture makes work fun, stimulating and can help even the most hated of jobs seem bearable.
6. It’s Money
Look, if worse comes to absolute worse and you can’t find any other positive silver linings about your job, it is a pay check. It is allowing you to live your life. This may seem like a pretty depressing way of looking at it and if it is literally just a pay check then perhaps it’s time to reassess, but with many people not having an income, having money regularly coming into the bank is definitely something to be thankful for.
7. It is Part of Who You Are
We’re firm believers here that everything in life happens for a reason because good or bad, a lesson can be learnt. Our experiences weave the fabric of who we are and more importantly what we can become. If you can see the lesson learnt in every situation, you’re likely to have a very successful career.