I worked with my last employer for over five years. And getting away from it for awhile affords a new perspective. In these couple of weeks of unemployment, I’ve been analyzing the way things work. At my previous employer, and with life in general. I’ve come to a conclusion: Hard work is overrated. It isn’t directly related to success. Some of the hardest work I’ve done has been on failing/unsuccessful projects.
Now, I’m not condoning a weak work ethic. The point I’m making is more semantic, or perhaps a matter of attitude.
You see, I don’t think that hard work has a bearing on the success of any endeavor. I think that commitment does. Passion does. If you have passion for what you are doing, you will be committed to it. If you are committed, the work won’t be hard. It will simply be whatever is needed, and you won’t think anything of it. It’ll be a labor of love, if you will.
This may be an inevitable conclusion that I’ve been slow on picking up. Or perhaps it’s a bit of an epiphany. Either way, I’m going to be sure that I’m passionate about my next endeavor, whatever it may be. I’ve always said that ‘if you aren’t having fun, why do it?’ Now I think I’ll say ‘if you don’t love what you do, why do it?’
Matt, I had the same problem for a long time... I think the problem went away when I stopped doing what I *enjoyed* (which believe it or not is being a barista--serving coffee!) and started doing what I really wanted to do but just didn't really think possible (i.e. making a living doing web design/development) and guess what it's a lot more fun than coffee was. Surprise! Didn't think that was possible.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if you keep working on projects like taskTHIS I can't see how you wouldn't find good work... speaking of which, were *is* that app? It's great! I can't seem to link to it anymore... I'm trying to learn Ruby on Rails but I'm not very good at programming so who knows, maybe we should get in touch.
Heh, I know what you're going through man -- on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteYou have to remember to put your own goals first. It's your employers job to watch out for their goals, not yours. Your employer should exists as a means to provide you with work that you find fulfilling and enjoyable. If that's not happening, then your employer needs to change the work you do, or you need to change employers. If you're doing work you enjoy and find fulfilling, it's difficult to not be at least marginally successful. If you have passion for it, you're going to do even better.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if you don't enjoy what you do then you're not going to do a very good job. I work with several people that don't enjoy what they do and I wish to god they would just quit and find something they do enjoy. Their failure to do so limits the entire working group, dampens group momentum.
It's not my goal to work hard. So if it ends up that I am working hard, it must be in pursuit of one of my goals, not my employers. I love work that challenges me or requires me to learn something new, so if that means working "hard", I don't mind. But you have to be firm on keeping to you're goals because you are the only one in the world that gives a crap about your goals. If you get fired because you refuse to do work that does nothing to further your goals, you will still be closer to your goals and better off in the long run, imho.
I think this is a problem for a lot of programmers. Many get so into their code they don't realize they're missing out on life until they get fired and realize the employer never valued how hard they worked for them. I work hard for my employer now, but I make sure to only do it 8 hrs a day and spend the rest doing things for me.
ReplyDeleteI left a job of 5 years, where I had helped start an ISP. I've been unemployed for about a year now, but the consulting gig has started to warm up. Show people that you can code, and the orders will start trickling in.
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