Building or Searching your Heaven?

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." — Max Planck, German physicist and Nobel Prize winner

We have all seen the lows in our careers when everything seems to be working against us- whether it is uncooperative colleagues, impossible deadlines, unyielding clients, or a difficult boss. In such cases, it is only natural to think about quitting and finding ‘something better’. But then, the million dollar question is –what is the guarantee that your next job will be without its share of travails? And where does this constant job-hopping lead you?

The answer, sadly, is, nowhere. The perfect client, the perfect job and perfect circumstances are things of myth that exist only in legends. So, instead of wishing for things to be different, you should try to cultivate what’s right in front of you?

Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity

There is no such thing as perfect opportunity. Every opportunity has its own tribulations. In other words, the grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it.

The idea of perfection is a vicious trap. While you might want to run away from your current circumstances, hoping to find ‘heaven’ in your next job, it is always possible that you will encounter a similar situation in your next job, will be disillusioned again and the cycle will repeat itself. This is because the problem isn’t your circumstances. The problem is you.

As Jim Rohn said, “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”

Chances are that you might be quitting for wrong reasons

If you’re thinking of quitting your job because it feels too hard, I would suggest you to pause and contemplate. Sometimes, we get complacent in our roles, and settle in a routine, so anything out of ordinary that threatens our comfort zone can leave us feeling uncomfortable.

While our natural reaction is to escape, it may not always be the wisest one. Escapism can never be the answer to any problem. There is no heaven out there. You have got to stick it out, sweat it out and build your own heaven. As simple as that. Giving up at that first hurdle will not solve anything. It will only bring regret in the long run.

We are kept from our goals not by obstacles, but by a clear path to a lesser goal- Bhagavad Gita

The culture of instant gratification

We are currently living in a world where we want things now, with minimum effort and sometimes, without even knowing how to go about obtaining them. As a result, our need for instant gratification often trumps discipline and reason, wreaking havoc in our personal and professional life. Therefore, the need for commitment is highly pronounced in today’s world.

When you commit yourself to something, such as a relationship, a career or family, you will be motivated to make decisions to allay difficult situations rather than sprint at the first sign of trouble. It gives you a meaning in life- a purpose, satisfaction and peace of mind, knowing that you have tried your best. Sometimes, the toughest challenges become the biggest highlights of our career.

What is your motivation?

In Frederick Nietzsche’s words: He who has a why can endure anyhow.

What is it that you want from your job? What inspires you? It is an important first step in figuring out how to set goals that excite you and create a life that you enjoy living. Knowing your ‘why’ will give you the clarity and courage to be resilient in the face of adversity, so that you can build a rewarding career trajectory, instead of flitting from one job to another.

You can create opportunities!

Opportunities always exist. It is not a matter of creating them, but becoming aware of them. They often stare us in the face but we choose to look away because we focus our mind on less important things. Seeing and recognizing opportunities requires rewiring your mind. You will need a new mind-set, the one willing to seize the opportunity, instead of wallowing in your troubles, real or imagined.

When you dedicate yourself to something and focus on it, you will notice that things will start happening. Stop chasing the holy grail of perfection. Start making the most of what you’ve got and try to make it perfect.

We do hunt for heaven builders! write to [email protected]