Jun
12
Written by:
host
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Eighteen years ago, after 6 months at my first job out of college at a major US corporation, I went to a retirement party for a man who had devoted over 30 years with the company. He said that the morning of his first day of retirement, he felt as if an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders!
Why was it that this man who had a pretty successful career financially had to wait more than 30 years to finally be happy?
I had learned at any early age that getting a job with a large corporation was considered success. My father had worked for another US corporation for over 40 years. Many of my family members worked for large companies. I was doing what I thought was going to make me happy. I had a "good job", a new car, and independence. But I wasn't happy. Why?
Spending more than two-thirds of my waking day at work, Monday through Friday and very often on weekends, I thought I by following the path that others thought I should follow, I will eventually be happy! But, that day never came. I didn't really understand or care about the company's mission. There was less and less time for fun and family. The thought that I would have to spend the next 30-40 years at a job I ultimately disliked was significantly less than satisfactory!
I wanted a work life that I enjoyed, where I was making a contribution, that was in alignment with my personal values and passions. But what was that?
Fast forward 12 years... I had an even better job, making more money, traveling all over the world, living in a nice home. But I still wasn't happy. I felt no one could sympathize. My husband didn't understand; he was more miserable than I was. I even felt guilty for complaining since from the outside I had everything that anyone could want. There seemed no one around that I could talk to and definitely not my boss!
But one day while I was flying first class to Paris for the ump-teenth time (and hating every minute of it - I know, you're saying to yourself right now... "is she crazy?")... that day I decided to make another choice. I decided I would no longer just go to work aimlessly for that almighty paycheck striving for a promotion that I didn't really want. I made a commitment to myself that I would find out what my true purpose was and find a career where I could express my purpose!
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