Earlier today, I was thinking about my former manager. A person that I didn't particularly like, and one that I don't think cared much about being liked. This manager then proceeded to bring in other people who also seemed to lack care for the people that worked for them. It was tough because they took what was previously a fun job, and turned it into a pit of anxiety.
It's a fairly conflicting position to be in for most people. The idea of having a job and being gainfully employed is something that a lot of people strive for. We all have bills and aspirations outside of work that need funding, so that paycheck is really attractive. There's always the idea of leaving for another job, but that's difficult as well. If you've been in your role for any amount of time, you've likely become somewhat comfortable with your surroundings. Be it the actual parts of your job you do like, the people you work with (usually a big one, and not including bosses), the hours, the location; I could go on and on.
So there I was, waking up everyday, to go to a job that I really didn't enjoy going to. All for the love of travel. Side Note; that's my biggest vice. I love to travel, having been to Vietnam and Iceland in the past couple of months. I also have bills, so there's that too. And for those reasons, I dragged myself into work everyday, until I finally got the motivation to start looking for another job. It was time, and so I prettied up my resume, and I began slinging it out there. For the next year, I tried and tried to find a job.
Now, instead of being just frustrated with my current job, I was frustrated with my job search. Talk about feeling trapped. I don't want to stay, but I can't leave because no one wants to hire me. It's during that period that the idea of "My HR Guy" was born. And I began to lay the groundwork, which took me forever, but that's another story for another day. But since it was taking so long, I still had to go into work everyday, and still look for work, and still I was frustrated.
Then one day, I was sitting in this conference room that looked out over the city. I looked in silence for a few moments, and really took in the fact that the world was so big. So much bigger than the four walls I felt trapped in. And it made me realize that I had confined myself to a reality that physically only occupied a fraction of what my reality could be. As I looked out that window, I saw how my dread of waking up, getting ready, commuting, and walking into those turnstiles everyday, was something I had more control over than I gave myself credit for. It was at that moment that I made the decision to quit my job. Life is too short to live unhappy for too long.
Now, I understand that we don't all have that luxury to up and leave. I also don't want to make it sound like a luxury on my end, as my wife and I then had to plan and prepare for the worst. We would have to live our lives much differently than we were used to. Planning for this move is key, but we continually asked ourselves, "what's the worst that could happen," and either realized it wasn't really that bad, or talked about a contingency plan.
My point is that if you're unhappy with your current work related reality, you don't have to feel stuck. We are all so unique, and we bring so many different things to the table, and the world is full of people who could benefit from what we can provide. Be it as a business-owner or an employee, you can provide something that people will pay you for. And you're much more resourceful than you think. It may not be the easiest thing you do, but I'm certain, you will be happier in the near and long term.