“Life is too long to work a job you hate.” “Life is too long to work a job you don’t care about.” Advice I give on a regular basis (here on my blog and elsewhere). I think, however, that many people attach an image of “happily ever after” to landing their Dream Job.
Not quite.
The problem with having a job you care about is that you care about it. Challenges still come. Things don’t always work. People still hate your ideas. The difference is that you’ll feel it.
You feel it.
I think that’s the real goal: not a life of “happily ever after,” but a life of meaning. Making meaning takes guts. It takes risk. It takes trying things and sometimes succeeding, sometimes falling flat on your face.
Get ready.
When you succeed, you’ll often be your only fan. When you fail, all of your critics will be there to make sure you know it. The biggest mistake you can make is thinking that you need to defend yourself against them. You don’t need to beat them. You’ve already won.
They’re not throwing rocks because your idea didn’t work.
They hate the fact that you’re braver than they are. You tried making something new while they hid in their cubicle (or corner office) grumbling about how the world should be.
Meanwhile, you’re actually shaping it.
Don’t battle your critics. Don’t try to beat them. Don’t even try to win them over. Pity them. People don’t regret trying, they regret the chances not taken. You’re building a life of meaning. They’re adding to their list of regrets.
Smile. Try again. Learn something. Help someone. Above all,
Realize that the louder your critics, the more important the work you’re doing must be.
