If you are aren’t excited each Monday, you’re working on the wrong stuff.
Act on purpose.
You don’t HAVE to like your job. Few people get excited about their commute and interacting with busybody coworkers, always asking about their weekend plans. Most people, as many as 80% according to some surveys, have a lousy boss who they dread being around. It’s rare to have company pride and feel like you’re being looked after and cared about when your friends get mistreated or laid off. When people are asked how they are doing, and the most common responses are, “Back to the grind,” “We’re halfway there,” and, “At least it’s Friday,” we’ve got a problem.
It’s okay to love the weekend, not because it’s not work, but because it gives you a chance to pursue your passions. In many cases, the job you hate funds the lifestyle you want. That’s not ideal, the trade is not balanced, but few people negotiate well, so it’s what they accept.
Stop tolerating mediocrity in your life. Ideally, you’re getting paid and building a career off of something you like. If you’re not, you ought to think about making better goals instead of excuses, regardless of your age. When you’re sacrificing your purpose (and often your values) for people and a cause you don’t believe it or are even ambivalent about, you are not going to perform well. This subpar performance seeps into every area of your life. The reverse is also true. If you are acting on purpose, supporting your values for a cause and people you believe in, you are productive and happy. This optimal state of being seeps into every area of your life.
You have a choice, every moment of every day … but let’s start with Monday. You can begin to alter your outlook and find ways to bring your passion, productivity, and purpose with you. It’s a new week. Go make great things happen. Don’t act out of habit, desperation, or fear. Act with purpose.
Also published on Medium.