I was talking to a colleague today about my fantasies. Well, work fantasies and not even of the more extreme kind where I have all the money I ever need and can choose to do whatever I want, without having to worry about needing to earn on it. Wouldn't it be grand to be able to pick and choose work for the work and not the paycheck?
Fantasies...
But, what I was saying is that while I really love parts of my job there, I could very happily let someone else do the other parts,. I love the delivery of trainings (for the most part), but I dislike the organization of schedules. I love the planning of the delivery content, but I don't like the collating and creation of it. I love dealing with customers, I dislike the associated office work. Therefore, my "fantasy" in this narrow arena would be able to do the delivery work, but not the administration side of the equation. In order to do this, I would have to quit and become a contractor, which I probably could do, considering my ability to train is well and truly proven.
But this led to the conversation about an asymmetry in the workplace based on the evaluation by colleagues, where what they see and what the customer see are actually two very different skillsets and what they "judge" me on is the one that affects them the most, not the one I am hired for. I am hired to deliver engaging and valuable training events, not for the administration tasks, but these things go hand in hand and it is only the administration side of the equation that my colleagues really see. sure, if they did a little digging they would find the customer feedback on my core job of delivery, but it isn't visible when we work each day.
Now, I am not terrible at all of the inward-facing side of the business, but it is not my wheelhouse, nor do I want it to be, but when it comes to salary, it is what is seen as valuable inside most companies. This is actually kind of strange in some respects, as if for example we were playing a sport, it would come down to the ability to do the core job of playing the game itself, not the ability to do post-game paperwork. And in a sport, a premium is paid on the outward facing activity, the one that the customer (the crowd) sees, not the skills to put away the equipment after training.
It is an interesting asymmetry in most of the service industry, where the lowest paid workers are often the ones who are in the eyes of the customer, that are interacting with the customer, who are the face of the company for the customer and the interface between the customer and the company, a gateway for feedback for improvement and identifying opportunities.
Now, it isn't that I am poorly paid, but in my fantasy I would be able to get paid more, as I would be able to concentrate my energies on where they generate the most value for the company, and myself. If I was able to deliver a couple more trainings a month, I would be able to pay the salary of someone better suited to the administration side of the business. If I didn't have to do any of the admin work, I would be able to deliver more than a couple a month extra and most likely, deliver a higher quality training as my attention and prep would be geared toward "game day", rather than the inward facing activities of the company.
But, as I told my colleague, this fantasy has its flaws as well, a while I would likely be able to do this, I enjoy having the colleagues I do and as a contractor, I would again be working alone, as I have in my business and as a freelancer for the last 18 years. On top of this, I would miss out on another part of the business that I enjoy, which is the strategizing and planning for long-term positioning, something that I am quite good at and enjoy. The problem is, until I am "vetted" as a company person who can do all the admin work, I am not really going to get the advancement in the company required to have my voice heard directly, so I have to feed ideas through proxies.
I think the future of the gig economy is going to be interesting, a while it will empower many people to better match their skillsets to where they are needed, it is also going to allow people to avoid the things that they don't like, even if there are some values and the opportunity to grow through doing them. I think that when we can pick and choose too precisely for ourselves, we tend to be short-sighted and miss long-term opportunities down the track. There are many ways that this manifests in our experience, but there are always consequences to actions and outcomes to the decisions we make, even if down the track, we do not recognize that we were the catalyst for the result, or the thing that stood in the way for getting to where we might want to be.
I know that most people's fantasy about work is to not work, but I see a great deal of personal value in working, as it brings me a sense of purpose in some respects, plus it opens me up to experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Every day I am at the office, there are new opportunities that fall into my path through the people I interact with and the discussions I have. While *I fantasize about only playing game day, over time I would actually end up with a lower level of knowledge and skill as a lot of the random of my daily routine would be missing, even though right now, a lot of the daily routine is repetitive. The office space is kind of like gym for me, I don't like performing all the exercises, but it is good for me to use my whole body, even the parts that are weak.
But the real fantasy is to have all the skills, without having to train at all.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
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The most important thing is to maintain your enthusiasm and not to lose your passion easily
This is the difficult equation
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I wonder, if passion is easily lost, was it ever passion?
I found that when you get to “work” on what you are passionate about it doesn’t seem like work. Yet, most people in the world don’t get to follow their passion. Hopefully we can change that someday. :)
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For sure. I also think that a lot of people think that passion falls into their lap while watching Netflix. In my own experience working with some pretty passionate and successful people, tey have done many things and failed at many things along the road to their successes. What is also interesting is that even once they have "made it" they are still exploring if there is more out there to be passionate about.
Well said!
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So true!
Point taken : you wouldn't be able to write this if you weren't working there.
Sure it's nice to not wanna stress a muscle but have cash flowing in, but the bigger demerit is just how dumb you'd grow not associating with the naked world.
I believe this content is focused on getting a promotion to better suit your Potentials. In every Hustle space where everyone is trynna climb to the top, even with all well displayed qualities, it never just comes in easily. I don't know your paycheck but I most definitely know that your spot at the moment is another man's fantasy.
The bottom line is that be poor or rich, money is never made enough, always wants more, even if the need ain't there.
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Why do you think this?
Most likely. It also comes down to localization and culture, as to what people fantasize about.
For part A, I mean that this article is only a product of actually being a working citizen. Which Is a credit, one where people should see reasons why having a job creates some level of exposure to wider knowledge and new states of thinking.
And part B is derived from your Point of not wanting to do the paper work (if I read that part right) and believe you deserve a better position.
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PArt A I guess depends on what a person is willing to do. I have done plenty of shit jobs for the lsat 30 years, but there is pretty much always work available for the willing.
I deserve nothing, I just don't like the paperwork. I know people who would prefer the paperwork to doing what I do by a long way. This has nothing to do with wanting or deserving a better position.
Well, just miss quoted you, could have happened to anyone 🤞
If someone wants an outcome badly enough they'll put up with all the bullshit they need to get there XD
If they want to stick to their niche that's fine too, but if they get stuck they'll just have to accept that it was their fault that they're stuck :)
they probably won't and will be whining about how unfair everything is and how the workplace etc is clearly and actively biased against them
I think many of us would be much happier with our jobs if we could simply do the task that we were hired for and not have to deal with all of the "other duties as assigned" stuff that they pile on you. That whole ODAA thing is a very inside joke in my field and likely at a lot of other places as well. Unfortunately, when you are an at-will employee, you don't have much choice but to do those other duties or start looking for a new job!
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Seriously? I think we would miss all this hemorrhoids in the form of additional tasks :)
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Haha.
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Interesting thoughts. It's nice to understand that I'm from those. people who like to work. Perhaps even too much, to the detriment of other aspects of life. But, I am learning not to work, no matter how difficult it may seem to me.
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I have been retired for some years now and receive a pension. I found when in the work force that my personality yearned for something new all the time.
The longest position I ever held was career military and yet worked many years after leaving the military in the administrative, non-profit, marketing, agricultural, spiritual (un-ordained cleric), construction, and service industries. Sort of a jack of all trades and master of none.
In all of those areas there were tasks I enjoyed and others that got on my last nerve. I would surmise that any position, even self-employment would have its up and down sides.
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Too many people fantasize about not having to work and when that time would come, I can be sure of the fact that they would get bored and depressed. An activity done with passion can be work, I think that we can all find little spots where we could improve or change our activity. Ups and downs. Could you have it all perfectly suited for your skillset? Possible. But humans always want more and are never satisfied. So this urge to find better things is more likely responsible for the human evolution.
Some people like to work alone, some do not. Maybe it depends on the personality and mood. Too much solitary time is not good, while too much people time can leave you drained.
!ENGAGE20
ENGAGEtokens.What a thoroughly stirring article!
Thank you!
Spoken like a sage: "I don't like performing all the exercises, but it is good for me to use my whole body, even the parts that are weak.
But the real fantasy is to have all the skills, without having to train at all."
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