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This is how to reframe your thinking and find more meaning in your work
Always adapting and never committing
If you’re always keeping your options open, you’re constantly second-guessing yourself and that makes you unhappy.
The moment we commit to something, we start being happier with whatever we decided on. This downside is only relevant when there is no new information coming in. Adapting in uncertain situations, when we're still learning new things, makes us better.
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Start with “why”
Why am I doing this? Ask yourself why until you understand your actions and decide how to reach your goal.
For instance, ask yourself why you are doing this job. If your answer is to get paid, then ask yourself, Why do I want higher pay? If the answer is so you can have a better life, then force yourself to answer the third “why”: Why do I want a better life?
The modern workplace
In the last decades, organizations are increasingly becoming more global, complex, and demanding of workers’ time. In the always-on, always-connected work environment, boundaries are overlapping and combining.
If you can’t adapt, can’t see situations in versatile ways, can’t find meaning in the most dreary circumstances, you might not survive.
The downsides of too much adapting
The downsides to always adapting, always flexible, always changing gears could lead to a lack of direction and commitment. In turn, a lack of direction could lead to failure.
We don’t want to entertain the possibility that it might fail. We just imagine that things are definitely going to work.
“This might work” vs. “This is going to work”
It is probably better to say "this might work" when you start because you’ll be much more alert to take in signals, new information, tweak it, adjust it, adapt, or maybe just stop.
Think about your actions as experiments that generate information rather than definitive decisions. It will make it easier to move forward, adapt, and adjust.
Always adapting and never committing
If you’re always keeping your options open, you’re constantly second-guessing yourself and that makes you unhappy.
The moment we commit to something, we start being happier with whatever we decided on. This downside is only relevant when there is no new information coming in. Adapting in uncertain situations, when we're still learning new things, makes us better.
Find a balance
There needs to be a balance between adapting and committing.
Committing–and concrete thinking–might be what’s needed in a strictly controlled environment where no new information is coming in. But, change is inevitable.The visionary, abstract thinking–the adaptive, who sees the big picture, will be able to apply learned lessons, respond to change, and stay relevant.
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Make space to create meaning
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Find What Gives Your Work Meaning
Is it a connection to a certain cause? Is it engaging one of your skills or personal passions? Is it serving a specific population? Everyone has their own causes, the things that give their ...
Cultivate Self Awareness
Ask yourself concrete questions to reveal your truth:
What are you working for? What impact do you want to create in your job? What skills do you want to develop and leverage?
Write a Career Mantra
Keep it short and simple—just focus on what gets you out the door every day.
Your mantra should encompass who you are, where you want to go, and the impact you want to make during your 9-to-5.
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Why Change Is So Hard
Changing is necessary and takes energy but our brains tend to try to conserve energy as much as possible. So we have mental biases that influence our behaviors and make us shy away from opportun...
Make Change a Team Effort
“Role Modelling” is one of the main factors behind successful change in organizations and consists of inspiring change by example.
While leadership will ultimately give you sign-off, the rest of the team will determine its success. So in an organizational setting, you must convince everyone of the necessity of change.
Know Who You’re Dealing With
In a collection of individuals, one bad seed can kill all the hard work you’re putting in. You must understand who you are working with so you can tailor your message and actions so no one becomes a bad seed. To do this, sort your team in the following categories:
- Fast Yes: those on your team and ready to work to implement the change.
- Slow Yes: slightly skeptical but still open and can see the value in what you’re doing.
- Fast No: quick to dismiss change but clarity and decisiveness can change that and turn them into strong supporters.
- Slow No: look like they can be persuaded but have already decided against you and will stall and undermine. Here, convincing by example is the best route.
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