“When I earn as much as my peers, I’ll be satisfied.”
“When I get promoted, I will feel successful.”
“When I finish this project, I will then have time for the things that really matter.”
“When I retire, I’ll finally be able to enjoy life.”
I heard someone the other day suggesting that we should treat our professional lives as a pilgrimage focused more on becoming ‘someone’ rather than just getting ‘somewhere’ -doing things for the outcome & not just the income if you will.
So, what would change if you did?
You’d become less dependent on external validation – if you stopped measuring your value through promotions & salary & started measuring it through learning, contribution & personal growth, your sense of worth would be less vulnerable to the opinions & decisions of others.
You’d find meaning in the present, rather than keep postponing it – the antidote to the ‘arrival fallacy’ where satisfaction comes daily & doesn’t just arrive at the end.
You’d see setbacks as experiences rather than verdicts – the opportunity for reflection, learning & even redirection. Some of the happiest people I know would, from the outside, appear to have lost forward momentum, money & status as a result of some sort of ‘life-quake,’ but have found meaning & purpose they could never have achieved through a big title or a seat at the Board table.
What I am not saying is don’t do it, don’t bother, don’t aspire to progress – quite the opposite. Just be clear what race you are in? Are you making a living, making a career or making a life?
Building your future at work should be one of the most exciting pilgrimages you ever make – just try not to make your happiness conditional on your next achievement.
If you want to talk further about how you could make the transition from climbing a ladder to taking a pilgrimage, contact me at rupert@strongerhumans.com #strongerhumans
