I met with a man earlier this week and we spent a half hour talking. We discussed the companies where we worked and the jobs we held. We discussed our general thoughts on workers and their roles in business today. This was an overall discussion of business in the world today by two business professionals who enjoyed the content of our conversation. As we parted ways the gentleman gave me what I consider a very delightful compliment. He said that I presented myself in a very professional way and that I must give a lot of presentations because I’m so at ease with people. I thanked him for the compliment and went on my way back to my daily life.
Days later I’m still thinking about his comments. I’m thinking back to when I ran my business (an administrative support business) and how, from the age of 24-37, I was able to meet with heads of business to introduce my services and always gained their business. Even in my youth, I was always confident in myself. I thought back to many of the bosses who I had worked for and the amount of authority many gave me because they were confident in my abilities. That’s even the case today in my current job.
My direct manager counts on me to help out with special projects, deliver presentations to co-workers and even to travel in the field and deliver presentations on my own. I’m one of the choice workers who she counts on to train new employees that join our department. And I absolutely love this part of my job. Unfortunately that part of my job encompasses about 10% of what I do.
So for the past week I’ve been weighed down questioning myself at mid-life why I’m not doing what I love and why I’m spending the majority of my time looking at numbers instead of speaking with people. The only benefit is the paycheck. But where does a person at 45 make the changes necessary to find that job they’ll love or even to know what job they will enjoy 100% of the time? I’ve often considered how to put a business together that could help people find a job they could love. After all, I can’t possibly be the only person in this situation, can I?
Maybe that’s why I decided my husband and I should start this blog. I needed a place where I could share ideas and thoughts without numbers to analyze or concepts of improvement to focus on. There are plenty of jobs in corporate relations, training and sales where I could use my abilities, but unfortunately I don’t have the experience, nor do I have the wallet to afford to take a huge pay cut. And sales, I can sell anything to anyone once I gain their trust. Unfortunately, I have a conscience and I can’t sell anything that isn’t a viable need or has the ability to increase a customer’s profits.
So instead of delivering presentations every day and building relationships with people I guess I’ll continue to sit behind my computer at work building pivotables and analyzing data waiting for the opportunity that happens 10% of the time and that is to present, train and even entertain an audience. Then I can come home and spend my time coming up with something that a few individuals out there might enjoy and even find value in by reading this blog.
What 10% portion of your job do you love the most and wish you could do 100% of the time? What’s holding you back? Can you resolve this situation in the next year? I’d like to hear from any of you who are in the same situation - email me at ourtheoryonlife@gmail.com or comment at the bottom of this post. And if you have a job that you love what you do 100% of the time, let me know, because I’d love to know that it is possible and might even wish to feature you in a future post.
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