I have an ongoing issue with motivation in my current profession, and i need some suggestions. My motivation is at an all time low. I am sick and tired of the routine and brainless tasks that I'm doing on a daily basis at my job. I feel that it's killing my creative personality and not stimulating my brain enough to move forward.
For those of you that have spoken to me even once have realized that my energy, personality, and creativity is what drives me and motivates me. So being in a very routine tasked job is not a good fit. From our readings and the book "Drive", we know that for jobs that are routine task oriented, rewards that stimulate external motivation is the primary solution. but, for me, even if i was making six figures, yeah, my bank account would look nice, and any kind of financial stress would be eliminated, but i would still hate waking up to go to work, and still be angry at work that is meaningless and routine....
So what do i do..? I have a few options, i manage a video production company which provides me with a creative outlet, but is not ready to provide for me to be financially secure.... I have a few ventures in the making that will allow me to do something that i love as well answer to myself and a partner only. I think that my current full-time job has ran its course, and my gut may be telling me its time to get out. Im a very positive person, but recently i've been on edge, angry, and negative.... and i think this job is the basis for those feelings.... but without it, i may increase a level of financial stress that will not be good, but may also make me hungry and more aggressively to pursue what i want and need in my life!
suggestions?
Josh,
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem. I make good money but some days my job becomes very routine. People say that if you do what you love, then your passion will show through your work. Blah! I need enough money to live in the Bay Area. I would say that you should hang in there and continue working on your ventures and video production company.
When you find a job you love, take me with you.
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote in my blog, all jobs, even the ones you like, come with some repetitive and boring tasks and some that are exciting. Perhaps the 80%-20% rule applies here; 80% boring and 20% exciting. I have had a good carrier and I enjoyed what I did. Never the less, I still do the boring jobs to pay the bills, while I enjoy doing the exciting ones when they come along.
How about if you look at everything that you are doing (your job-job, your video production commpany, and your other ventures) as a single job or business. You do the boring part to pay the bills, and enjoy the exciting part. I am confident that the part that excites you will eventually become so successful that you will not have to do the other parts any more. If you acknowledge that you are doing the job-job just for the money until the other ventures become successful, I think it will be more bearable. Of course, if you really cannot stand it, than you should be looking for another job-job that will be bearable for the time being.
Good luck.
Everything you said really reflects Oldham and Hacker's Job Design Model - which argues that there are 5 factors which influence how motivational your job is. Unfortunately, life comes with demands and obligations...and with jobs that aren't fulfilling. It might be useful to look at your life as a whole and see how everything is balancing in your overall life to provide you what you need to be satisfied and motivated. That is, you could think of the job as a means to an end - the creative and autonomous video editing career you want. The job is the safety net that allows you to try other creative ventures.
ReplyDeleteHowever, what you do in this situation also depends on your tolerance for risk and financial instability. If you are open to uncertainty and okay with losing, maybe you should take the leap.