Work is a Blessing

I was meeting with a client recently, and we were working through some tough issues with his business. I was getting vibes that he was getting frustrated and about ready to abandon ship. In one of those odd moments where the room suddenly goes quiet and no one was saying anything, he looked at me, gave out a big sigh and said, “You know Coach, work is really a blessing!”

I didn’t expect that.

Instead of total resignation to the task at hand, this guy was voicing appreciation of having the task and the challenges that went along with it. He felt blessed to have his business and for that matter the problems and challenges that went along with the job. Whether you own a business or are a manager or employee, it is very healthy to think of your work as a blessing. Bottom line; without the work where would you be? Your work, whatever it is, supports your lifestyle and your family and in several ways, those around you. It always makes me crazy when I hear people nearly brag about turning down a job (when they don’t have one) because the opportunity was below them.

What’s even worse is to hear people that are in a job that they don’t like, for some reason, spewing negativity about the company, their job or their boss. Plus, they’re only giving half or less effort, while they gripe and moan about their situation and yet do nothing about it, and gladly accept their full paycheck every two weeks.

Look, I was always raised that whether I liked my job or not, I still owed the company and the guy who hired me my best while I was there. If I was accepting their money then I owed them my best effort, until that time that I found something different and moved on. Complaining and whining was nothing more than complaining and whining if you don’t act to change.

What has happened to work ethics? I don’t believe that the principles of work are taught anymore, yet more and more I see people who simply cop the attitude that they shall remain unencumbered by the chains of work and responsibility. It is below them to accept a “common” job requiring them to actually work their way up the ladder and earn their right to success. Many believe that the world owes them six figures and lots of benefits to start and then and only then will they bless you with their presence.

Nope. That’s not going to happen.

I have business owners tell me that they will set up an interview with a candidate and many times the candidate won’t even show up for the interview. They’ll just disappear without the courtesy of a phone call. I recently had an applicant check his email throughout the interview. I could write a book on my adventures in hiring.

I’ve concluded (again) that massive personal and professional success isn’t that hard if you just show up, take pride in your work and simply try. In today’s market, tenacity will always beat talent. I know employers who simply won’t play the game anymore. After a great interview and finding their perfect new hire, they will not chase them down and beg them to join. In fact they will wait to see if the candidate has the chutzpah enough to follow up on the opportunity. They want someone who wants to join their organization, rather than someone who simply wants to tell them how good they are.

Work IS a blessing that enables you to show the world exactly what it is that you have to offer. It’s pretty simple really. Show up, work hard and see what happens.