What to Do When You're Sick of What You Do (for a Living)

Sick of your job?

("Objections are those frightful things we see when we take our eyes off our goals." - Anne Nonimus)

The Problem
Everybody I know has, at one time or another, been sick and tired of what they were doing for a living and I am no exception. There were times when I had felt that I just couldn't face work and so I called in sick, then enjoyed my day. Then, at some point I began to think that if I liked what I was doing, I would probably want to do it every day. Not liking your work won't do much for you or your organization.

This led me to believe that it was possible for me to change careers and really enjoy what I did for a living, but I didn't do it without great effort. I started by writing down what it was I wanted to do, but it was initially problematic in that I felt I was very good at about a dozen things. The hardest part was to decide what to focus on.

Below, you will find the steps I took to get me started on my desired career path and, yes, anybody can do this. At first, I thought I was doomed to work for others for forty hours a week and be too tired to work on what I loved to do, but then, as I began the process, I realized that there really was no other way and nobody could keep me from doing what I really wanted to do.

Phase it out!
In the science of sound, when two identical waveforms are in the same position at the same time, they are said to be 'in phase', thus resulting in a stronger signal than either waveform alone (I threw in the word 'thus', because I like the sound of it). When one of the waveforms is moved ahead of the other, it begins to have the opposite effect and the signal becomes weaker until it becomes completely opposite and the overall sound is almost non-existent, although both signals on their own are still fairly strong. I have learned to apply this to my career path in that if I get tired of something and want to do other things, I gradually let go of one as I gradually build the other.

Focus, please.
You must know what you want to do before you can do it. Again, this was the hardest part for me because I was good at a lot of things and the only reason for that was because I chose to learn those things. I wrote and played music, did creative writing, recorded sounds, made short films and the list goes on. What I had to do was assess my talents and use them in my work somehow.

Get it in writing.
I wrote down everything I was going to accomplish in the coming years and I would read it every day (I'm now in my 12th year of doing what I choose to do). Something happens when things are written down, it's like a personal contract with oneself. Every time I got discouraged, I looked at the card.

Memorize your mandate.
My 'mandate' was, and still is, the definition of the word 'persevere' - 'To persist in a state, enterprise or undertaking in spite of counter-influence, opposition or discouragement.' I taped it to my fridge where I could see it every single day.

Stoke the fire.
I kept reminding myself of what my new direction was and the jobs that I held along the way were just stepping stones. I began to use those jobs to learn about how businesses were run and I wouldn't consider that a waste of time. I still did a great job but I was much happier than before because I knew something that nobody else knew - I was on my way somewhere and I would eventually use what I'd learned and say 'goodbye' to my fellow co-workers.

Ignore all objections.
Those who knew of my secret plans would either be supportive or not. I didn't listen to the nay-sayers, especially if they were working at the same place and didn't seem that happy; they were merely complacent, like they'd given up a fight. Sometimes co-workers can seem to be supportive with the 'we're all in this together, so it's okay to keep coming in every day and hate our jobs' attitude. I would just pretend to go along with it, but I would always stay focused on my new direction.

Learn, learn, learn.
I wanted to be THE expert in my field so I read and listened to everything I could about it. I also studied (and continue to study) great sales people and entrepreneurs (Brian Tracey, Tom Hopkins, Dick Buskirk, etc) and expanded my mind with physics, philosophy, math and cosmology. I felt so enriched, I began to take on a different attitude. I actually stood straighter than I had before.

Stay on track.
It is easier to stay on track the longer you stay focused. I'm not saying there are no overwhelming days in what I do now, but I can handle them better, because I chose my path. I have also been fortunate enough to turn down any offers which would change my course and I have raised my price for related, but not so desirable work. If my price was too high for them, so be it.

Don't get too comfortable!
After three long years of building my personal empire, I realized that almost all of what I had written down was already happening and my bank account was getting bigger. Then, feeling very confident, I didn't keep stoking the fire; I started to feel comfortable and my bank account was shriveling faster than it had swelled. To add to the unfortunate circumstances, I didn't have a contingency plan. In short, it took me three more years to turn that around! I know now that opportunity is not immune to the natural 'ebb and flow' of all things earthly and I act accordingly.

So, the next time you feel like you are wasting your time helping build something you don't want to be part of anymore, consider taking steps to 'phase it out' and start doing something you choose to do for a living. Hope this helps!!

Remember: You don't have to keep doing something you don't enjoy! But, you do need an exit strategy. Life is too short, avoid complacency and start on a new path, even if you have to form it yourself.

Stay tuned for: 'What to Do When You Like Your Job, But Don't Like What's Around You'.
Buck Moore (buck@buckmoore.net)