Thought for today:

Compulsive underearners chronically underperform on the job.  No matter how hard you feel you are working, you wind up more depressed as tome goes on, and make less money than you need to survive and thrive.

Putting aside under earning, we have to admit that there are real pressures going on in the world of work.  The days of routine job promotions, and a demand for unskilled labor are gone forever.  Today, productivity gains don’t equal promotions any more.  Managers expect you to keep learning new things.

We need to come up with new ways to get what we need from our jobs.  Wages stagnate because the technology being pushed through the organization is getting cheaper.  In order to grow, we need to look upstream and downstream from our current work environment, and ask some tough questions of ourselves.

We need to remember that work is part social, and part self-management.

A member shares:

“Whenever I get more responsibility at work, I say to myself, ‘Here we go again, more work for the same money.’  I’ve inherited a lot of work from new technological revolutions, and I’m tired of treading water.  But I’m scared to make a move because I think it will be worse in a new place.

“I don’t feel comfortable making decisions, even though I am an authority in my area of work.  I should simply propose recommendations, but I’m scared of having to take on more work as a result, so I keep quiet.”

A habit of hiding:

Underearners are the last to know that a layoff is coming.  They keep their heads down in busy work and struggles.  Their managers know the challenges, and may even feel sorry for them.

Learning new skills and applying them becomes critical in this environment.

Certifications are important, but time-consuming, and no guarantee of a raise or promotion.  Bosses are more and more requiring that you learn new skills to keep the job you have.

We need to practice “T” skills – the art of finding opportunities to serve and be served – and see the world we are in.  Look around: Who are the sponsors of a project, who are the stakeholders?  What are their needs?

We are better off anticipating the knowledge need, and disciplining ourselves to study the new knowledge as often as we can.  Communicating when we need help, but being willing to struggle a bit with a problem on our own.

Ask:

“Have I accepted my role as a life-long learner?  Am I interested in this kind of work any more?”

Meditation for today:

Look around.  Nothing stays the same.  All of nature evolves.  You can feel it in the ocean, and see it in the sky and trees.

Change is imminent in us, too.  We naturally long to improve our circumstances, our jobs, our homes.  Human nature involves longing.

Sometimes, if we sit with our feelings and meditate on them, gently saying to our selves, ‘it’s ok’, we can intuit a better direction.  Try calming your thoughts so you can feel the natural flow of your life’s purpose.

Affirmation for today:

“I look around today and I enjoy the wonders of nature.  I learn from nature how to become my best self.”

DailyOM: Inspirational Thoughts for a Happy, Healthy, and Fulfilling Day

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