A sports reporter was asked to ask himself the perfect question and answer it. He wrote, “What has football meant to me?”
His answer started with, “It’s meant everything to me. I don’t know what I would have done with my life without it. It’s given me purpose. It’s provided for my family and me.”
Now look at this from Gallup in 2014:
- 72% of people aren’t happy with their jobs
- 31.5% are engaged (enthusiastic and committed to their work and workplace)
- 51% aren’t engaged
- 17.5% are actively disengaged
It’s really a shame that more aren’t like the abovementioned sports reporter. Most of us have been at jobs where we’re not really happy, but it provides for the family. The key is to get out of the rut and take control of your life.
It may mean working for a different company, changing industries, or going into business for yourself (see my book Buying a Business that Makes You Rich). Reinventing yourself may seem scary but not being happy with what you’re doing is worse, without even discussing if someone is cheating their employer by not being engaged and productive.
There are conflicting statistics on whether entrepreneurship is up or down. At least in the Seattle area there seems to be a lot of startup activity and a vibrant buy-sell and M&A market. It’s people taking charge.
“Your character is your fate.” Maya Pilsetskaya
